Tahnee Robinson facts for kids

Tahnee Robinson (born February 2, 1988) is an American who used to play professional basketball. Now, she is a coach in NCAA Division I, which is a top level for college sports. Tahnee made history as the first Native American woman to be picked 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. 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 age six, she told her mom she wanted to play basketball in college. In high school, Tahnee became one of McDonald's High School All-Americans. This means she was one of the best high school players in the country. In her senior year, Robinson led her team to win the Class 3A State title in 2006. After that, she signed up to play at the University of Wyoming.

College Basketball Journey

After finishing high school in 2006, Tahnee went to the University of Wyoming. During her first year, she had a baby boy when she was 19. This meant she had to leave school for a while.

Later, she got a chance to play for Sheridan College. She tried to be a full-time student, a single mom, and an athlete all at once. It was very hard, and she had to leave her son with her parents. Tahnee became the top scorer in the nation for junior colleges. She scored almost 30 points per game (PPG).

Her great playing helped her team reach the Nationals for the first time in 2009. Many four-year universities noticed her talent. Tahnee then earned an Associate of Science Degree from Sheridan College. She then moved to the University of Nevada for the 2010–11 season.

At the University of Nevada, she had an amazing first year. As co-captain of the Wolf Pack team in 2009-10, she was named the Western Athletic Conference's Newcomer of the Year. She also made the first-team All-WAC. For the entire 2010–11 season, she was among the top 15 scorers in the country. She finished the year as the ninth-best, averaging 22.1 points per game.

She earned her second All-WAC first-team award. She was also named to the WAC All-Tournament Team. In her senior year, Tahnee became team captain. She became one of only twelve players at Nevada to score over 1,000 points. She averaged 19.5 points per game.

Tahnee was also one of five finalists for the Sullivan Award. This award goes to the nation's best amateur athlete. She was also named a WBCA All-Region honoree. She won the WAC Verizon Wireless Player of the Week award three times that season. Tahnee led The Wolf Pack to a record 22 wins during her two years there. She later earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from Nevada-Reno. She studied Health Education, Communication, and Native American Studies.

College Statistics

Professional Career and Coaching

In 2011, Tahnee 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 she left the team, Head Coach Mike Thibault said he believed Tahnee could become a good player. He explained that she just hadn't been able to get ahead of the more experienced players on the team. He also said there wasn't a spot for her right then. He hoped she would play overseas to improve her game.

Robinson 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 playing career, Tahnee returned to the University of Nevada-Reno. She became a graduate assistant for the Wolf Pack Women's basketball team. At the same time, she worked on 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,” which is a health program. Tahnee is also a national spokeswoman for Big Brothers & Big Sisters.

See also

• Ryneldi Becenti
• Angel Goodrich
• Shoni Schimmel