Kelly Krauskopf has resigned as president of the Indiana Fever, the team announced Friday.
She took the position in 2024 after spending six seasons as assistant general manager of the Indiana Pacers. Krauskopf told the franchise during the recently concluded season that she would step down at the end of it. She started with the Fever before the team’s inaugural season in 2000.
“It has been an honor and privilege to help build and operate the Indiana Fever with the support and trust of Herb Simon,” Krauskopf said. “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. I will always cherish my time with Pacers Sports and Entertainment and the people who made it so meaningful.”
The Fever have made the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, reaching the semifinals in 2025.
“She’s had an incredible career. It’s been fun getting to know her over the last couple of years,” Fever guard Caitlin Clark told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “It was kind of planned for her. … She was able to help us do some amazing things. I think it was really fun for me to be able to be with her.”
Clark said everyone in the organization had a lot of respect for Krauskopf.
“The thing about Kelly is she has a really good reputation, and so many people around our building really love working with her,” Clark said. “So, it’s obviously sad that she’s not here anymore, but I have a feeling we’ll still see her at a lot of games.”
During Krauskopf’s first stint with the team, she guided the franchise to 13 playoff appearances, including 12 in a row. The franchise won the 2012 WNBA championship and made the Finals three times.
“When we started Fever, Kelly saw what this franchise could become,” said Herb Simon, owner of Pacers Sports & Entertainment. “She built it, won a championship and came back when we needed her. She played an extraordinary role in the growth of women’s basketball in Indianapolis, and our family is grateful for everything she gave to this organization. I’m proud to call her a friend.”
Krauskopf also helped lead the development of the Fever’s new performance center, which is scheduled to open next spring.
Before joining the Fever, she served as the WNBA’s first director of basketball operations, helping establish the league’s fundamental rules, schedule and officiating policies before its launch in 1997.
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