Indiana Fever president Kelly Krauskopf has stepped down from her role, the team announced Friday. The move ends a second stint in the role that began in 2025, nearly a decade after she first helped build the franchise into a WNBA champion.
Krauskopf informed the team of her decision before the end of the 2026 season, according to ESPN. Her departure closes out a tenure that stretched back to the Fever’s inaugural season in 2000 and included stops with the NBA’s Indiana Pacers.
The Announcement And Krauskopf’s Statement
In a statement, Krauskopf credited Fever owner Herb Simon for the trust that allowed her to shape the franchise over two decades.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to help build and steward the Indiana Fever with the support and trust of Herb Simon,” Krauskopf said in her statement. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunities, relationships, and shared accomplishments that have shaped my time with this organization. The Fever is poised for an exciting future, and I am proud to have helped lay the foundation for its continued growth and success.”
Simon also released a statement praising Krauskopf’s role in building the franchise from the ground up.
“When we started the Fever, Kelly saw what this franchise could become,” Simon said. “She built it, delivered a championship and came back when we needed her. She has played an extraordinary role in the growth of women’s basketball in Indianapolis, and our family is grateful for everything she’s given this organization. I’m proud to call her a friend.”
Krauskopf’s Impact On The Fever
Krauskopf was hired as the Fever’s first general manager before the 2000 season, a role she held through 2017. The franchise made the playoffs 12 straight years under her watch, reached three WNBA Finals and won its only championship in 2012. She also played a central role in acquiring or drafting franchise cornerstones such as Tamika Catchings and Katie Douglas, both key figures on that title team.
In 2018, Krauskopf left to join the Pacers as assistant general manager, becoming the first woman in NBA history to hold an executive basketball management role, according to ESPN. She spent six seasons with Indiana’s NBA front office, reaching the playoffs three times and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024.
Krauskopf returned to the Fever as president in September 2024, five months after the team selected Caitlin Clark with the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft. Over her second stint, the Fever made the playoffs each season and advanced to the semifinals in 2025.
What It Means For The Fever’s Future
Indiana’s season ended this year with a first-round playoff loss to the Las Vegas Aces. The Fever still have Clark and Aliyah Boston under contract for at least two more seasons, giving the franchise a core to build around as it searches for its next leader.
Guard Kelsey Mitchell is set to hit free agency this coming offseason. Keeping Mitchell alongside Clark and Boston would preserve the trio that has driven Indiana’s recent playoff runs, according to Bleacher Report.
What’s Next
No successor has been named, and the Fever have not detailed a timeline for finding Krauskopf’s replacement. The team’s next major offseason decision centers on Mitchell’s free agency before the 2027 season.
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