Donna Nobile is the wife of Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle.
Nobile has been by Carlisle’s side since his playing days; they started dating when Carlisle was on the Boston Celtics back in 1987.
Here is everything you need to know about Donna Nobile, Rick Carlisle’s wife.
1. Rick & Donna Carlisle Had an Epic First Date
Carlisle recently shared the story of where he took Nobile on their first date – and it sounds like one of the best first dates of all time.
This date took place in Washington DC in 1987. Carlisle wanted to take Nobile to a Grateful Dead concert at the Capital Centre, the old home of the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals.
Fortunately for Carlisle, he was teammates at the time with one of the Grateful Dead’s biggest fans, Bill Walton.
Walton gave Carlisle and Nobile his all-access passes to the concert, and they even got to meet band members Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir and Mickey Hart that night!
It’s safe to say that helped win Nobile over – Carlisle even credited Walton as a main reason why he got married to his wife when he shared that story shortly after Walton’s passing on May 27, 2024.
2. They Are Approaching Their 25th Wedding Anniversary
According to ESPN, Carlisle and Nobile got married back on September 16, 2000.
That means that September 16, 2025 will be their 25th wedding anniversary!
Given their first date was 13 years earlier, it’s also been 38 years since that fateful Grateful Dead date.
What a long and successful partnership!
3. They Have A Daughter Together
Abby Carlisle was born on May 7, 2004, and it seems like ever since then, she has been an internet darling.
She was by Rick’s side during Dirk Nowitzki’s retirement ceremony and a few press conferences when she was younger and more recently has released a handful of TikTok videos where she dances alongside Rick, which have made their rounds amongst NBA fans who love seeing a more silly side of the typically stoic coach.
Abby is currently attending Virginia University – Rick’s alma mater – and majoring in Art History. She will graduate in May 2027.
4. Donna Is a Doctor
Donna Nobile works as a pediatric infectious disease specialist.
Carlisle was able to turn to her for advice during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was especially crucial when he tested positive for the virus twice back in 2021.
5. Donna Helped Decorate Rick’s Office in Indianapolis in a Meaningful Way
This is a cool story: back in 2021, Nobile helped Carlisle decorate his office in an entirely unique way.
According to the Indianapolis Star, Carlisle had a very typical-looking office for an NBA coach when he worked for the Dallas Mavericks. Photos adorned the walls with highlights from his playing career, coaching career, and even personal life, such as meeting Barack Obama.
That all changed in 2021 when Donna and Rick decided to only put up photos of players that were currently on the Pacers roster at that time.
Their goal was to remind players of moments they competed for one another, to help them better connect with one another and with Carlisle.
Nobile and Carlisle know something about connection, having been married for 25 years. Here’s to 25 more!
Donna Nobile, Rick Carlisle’s Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know