Tahnee Robinson facts for kids

Tahnee Robinson (born February 2, 1988) is an American former professional basketball player. She is now a coach in NCAA Division I college basketball. Tahnee made history as the first Native American woman to be chosen in the WNBA draft. She is a member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe. She was also the first player from the University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) to be drafted into the WNBA.

Early Life and Basketball Dreams

Tahnee Robinson was born on February 2, 1988, in Fort Washakie, Wyoming. Her parents are Tim and Sara Robinson. Her mother is from the Pawnee and Shoshone tribes, and her father is from the Cheyenne and Sioux tribes. Tahnee grew up on the Wind River Reservation in Fort Washakie with her two brothers. She is officially a member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe.

Tahnee started playing basketball when she was only four years old. By the age of six, she told her mother she wanted to play basketball in college. In high school, Tahnee became one of McDonald's High School All-Americans, which means she was one of the best high school players in the country. During her senior year in 2006, she led her team to win the Class 3A State title. After this success, she decided to play at the University of Wyoming.

College Basketball Journey

After graduating from Lander Valley High School in 2006, Tahnee went to the University of Wyoming. However, during her first year, she became a mother at 19 and had to leave school. She then got a chance to play for Sheridan College, and she took it. It was tough balancing being a full-time student, a single mom, and an athlete. She was overwhelmed and had to leave her son with her parents for a time.

At Sheridan College, Tahnee became the top scorer in the nation for junior colleges. She averaged almost 30 points per game. Her amazing performance helped her team reach the National championships for the first time ever in 2009. This caught the attention of many four-year universities. Tahnee earned an Associate of Science Degree in General Studies from Sheridan College. Then, she transferred to the University of Nevada for the 2010–11 season.

Success at University of Nevada

In her first year at the University of Nevada, Tahnee had a fantastic season. As a co-captain for the Wolf Pack in 2009-10, she was named the Western Athletic Conference's Newcomer of the Year. She also made the first-team All-WAC. Throughout the 2010–11 season, she was among the top 15 scorers in the nation. She finished the year as the ninth-best, averaging 22.1 points per game.

Tahnee earned her second All-WAC first-team award and was named to the WAC All-Tournament Team. In her senior year, she became team captain. She also became one of only twelve players in Nevada's history to score over 1,000 points. She averaged 19.5 points per game that year. Tahnee was also chosen as one of five finalists for the Sullivan Award, which honors the nation's top amateur athlete. She was also named a WBCA All-Region honoree and won the WAC Verizon Wireless Player of the Week award three times. Tahnee led the Wolf Pack to a record 22 wins during her two years there. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in General Studies from Nevada-Reno. Her studies focused on Health Education, Communication, and Native American Studies.

College Statistics Overview

Here's a look at Tahnee Robinson's college basketball performance:

Professional Career and Coaching

In 2011, Tahnee Robinson became the first player from Nevada to be chosen in the WNBA draft. She was also the first Native American woman to be drafted. The Phoenix Mercury picked her in the third round. Tahnee was then traded to the Connecticut Sun. She played for them overseas before being released from the team.

After her release, Head Coach Mike Thibault said he believed Tahnee could become a good player in the league. He explained that she just hadn't been able to earn a spot over the more experienced players. He suggested she work on some areas of her game, possibly by playing overseas. Tahnee then played professional basketball overseas for four seasons. She played in countries like Israel, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Poland, and China. Unfortunately, she suffered an injury during this time.

After her professional playing career, Tahnee returned to the University of Nevada-Reno. She became a graduate assistant for the Wolf Pack Women's basketball team. While working there, she pursued her master's degree in educational leadership. Later, Robinson was promoted to Director of Player Development for the Wolf Pack. This made her one of only three Native women coaching at the NCAA Division I level.

Tahnee Robinson is also a Nike N7 basketball ambassador. She is a national spokeswoman for “Let’s Move! In Indian Country,” a health program. She is also a national spokeswoman for Big Brothers & Big Sisters.

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