WNBA’s Dallas Wings coaches receive contract extensions

With its inaugural season three months away, the WNBA’s Dallas Wings announced Tuesday that they have agreed to contract extensions with head coach Fred Williams and assistants Ed Baldwin and Bridget Pettis.

Williams was coach of the previous team, the Tulsa Shock, for two seasons and guided them to their first playoff appearance in five years. Prior to the Shock, Williams was head coach of the Atlanta Dream for two years, leading them to the 2013 WNBA Finals.

“After guiding a young and talented, but injury-plagued team to the playoffs, I am thrilled the coaching staff remains intact as we prepare for the inaugural season in the DFW Metroplex,” President and CEO David Swatzell said in a statement.

Baldwin will enter his third season on the bench alongside Williams while former WNBA player Pettis will maintain her role as an assistant for the Wings.

“Our goal is to take the next step and compete for championships, and backed by the support of the fans throughout the Metroplex, it’s going to be an exciting season,” Williams said on Tuesday.

The Wings begin the season at Indiana on May 14 and will host their first game at UT Arlington’s College Park Center on May 21 against the San Antonio Silver Stars.

This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 11:00 PM with the headline "WNBA’s Dallas Wings coaches receive contract extensions."