INDIANAPOLIS — Despite the Indiana Fever returning to the WNBA Playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade this past season, the organization announced on Sunday that they have “parted ways” with head coach Christie Sides.

“We are incredibly thankful to Coach Sides for embracing the challenge of leading us through an integral transition period over the last two seasons, while also positioning us well for future growth,” said Fever President of Basketball Operations Kelly Krauskopf.

Krauskopf recently returned as head of basketball operations for the Fever after having been in that position a few years prior, before moving to the front office of the Indiana Pacers.

Sides’ tenure with the Fever ends after just two seasons at the helm overseeing the rookie years of the team’s two first-overall draft picks in Aliyah Boston (2023) and Caitlin Clark (2024). In that time span, she accumulated a record of 33-47.

Indiana finished last season an even 20-20 after having started the season 1-7. They clinched the 6th seed in the WNBA Playoffs thanks to going 9-5 in the home stretch of the regular season after the Olympic break.

“While decisions like these are never easy, it is also imperative that we remain bold and assertive in the pursuit of our goals, which include maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana,” Krauskopf said. “Coach Sides was an incredible representative of the Fever and our community, and we wish her nothing but success in the future.”

The Fever have not offered a timeline for when they will announce Sides’ successor as head coach. The team has hired a new general manager Amber Cox, as former Fever coach Lin Dunn had been serving that role. The Fever also join five other WNBA teams looking for a new head coach including the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings, and Washington Mystics

The move also comes as the Fever hope to keep a majority of the current roster together. Kelsey Mitchell, in particular, is a free agent and the Fever hope to re-sign the 8-year veteran to a new deal.

Many other things are also at play as the WNBA Players’ Association has decided to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement with the league. Negotiations on a new CBA are now underway.