The Lynx would love a repeat bid for a WNBA Championship, something they nearly achieved last season, in a run all the way to the WNBA Finals, losing in heartbreak game 5 fashion vs the New York Liberty. And to help take Minnesota to the next level, Reeve has hired local basketball legend Lindsay Whalen to the staff.

Related: WNBA Deletes Shady Tweet Suggesting Lynx Were Meant to Lose vs Liberty

WELCOME BACK, WHAY. 💙 pic.twitter.com/Zytd6UyznU

— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) November 30, 2024

Whalen is more than a familiar face for Minnesota basketball. As a senior at the U of M, the Hutchinson native lead the lady Golden Gophers to the program’s first and only Final Four appearance (2003-04). Later that year, Lindsay was taken 4th overall in the WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun, where she spent the first six seasons of her pro career.

Minnesota Lynx provide new coaching home for Lindsay Whalen

On January 12, 2010, Whalen was traded home for a direct swap of Renee Montgomery and the teams’ 2010 1st round picks. The hometown girl spent her final nine seasons with Minnesota. Whalen is a four-time WNBA champion, and a member of the Hall of Fame.

During her 15-year WNBA career, Lindsay averaged 11.5 points per game and started 476 of her career 480 games. Now, she is back with the franchise that she helped bring so many championships to. Reeve addressed the hiring of her former star guard, on Saturday.

“I am excited to add both Eric and Lindsay to our coaching staff. Eric has vast experience coaching in the WNBA as both a head and an assistant coach and is a WNBA Champion. Lindsay adds a unique perspective as a Lynx legend and Naismith Hall of Famer. I look forward to working with both in our quest for another WNBA Championship.” 

Cheryl Reeve on hiring Lindsay Whalen and Eric Thhibault (Lynx Release)

As noted in the release, Eric Thibault is also joining Reeve’s staff as an associate head coach. He spent the past two seasons leading the Washington Mystics, and has been involved with the organization for more than a decade. Thibault has experienced the pinnacle of the league as well, winning a title in 2019.

Whalen looking to rebound from difficult start to coaching career

Lindsay Whalen spent five seasons as head coach of the Minnesota Gophers women’s basketball team, before stepping down in 2023 with a 71-76 record (32-58 in the Big Ten), and ZERO NCAA Tournament appearances.

The details around her exit are still a bit murky, but it’s clear the University wanted a change, which they got, in the hiring of Dawn Plitzuweit, who was 20-16 in her first season as Gophers head coach, and 8-0 so far in her second season.

But now, Whalen gets a fresh coaching start, and she gets to stay local to her roots. The Lynx newest assistant talked glowingly of her new role, via press release.

Lindsay Whalen will retire from the WNBA after 15 seasons ⭐️
5501 PTS (14th all-time)
2334 AST (3rd all-time)
5 All-Star appearances
4 WNBA Championships (w/ Lynx) pic.twitter.com/PCnMdXmzYE

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 13, 2018

“I’m so excited to be back with the Lynx and back with Coach and Becky [Rebekkah Brunson]. Eric and I have also known each other for a long time, and for me, I couldn’t imagine joining a better staff as I return to coaching and get my first opportunity to coach in the WNBA. We have a special group with this team and I can’t wait to get to work.”

Lindsay Whalen on joining the Lynx (Lynx Release)

A new fiscal year is about to start for the University of Minnesota and the athletic department is cutting their own pay, in an effort to recoup some of the lost revenue the University is dealing with, from coronavirus fallout.

Per a release from the athletic department, Mark Coyle and his 5 highest-paid University of Minnesota coaches will take 10% pay cuts for the first six months of the next fiscal year (which begins in July). The coaches taking cuts are:

• P.J. Fleck (football)
• Richard Pitino (men’s basketball)
• Lindsay Whalen (women’s basketball)
• Bob Motzko (men’s hockey)
• Hugh McCutcheon (volleyball).

“I want to thank Lindsay, P.J., Richard, Hugh and Bob for taking a voluntary reduction in pay. This is the second voluntary reduction for all of us since April, and I appreciate their dedication to Minnesota and willingness to help in a time of financial uncertainty.”

Mark Coyle – University of Minnesota Athletic Director

As Coyle mentions in his statement, this is the second time these coaches and staff have taken voluntary cuts, in an effort to recoup these losses. 200 administrative members took a week unpaid in April, to save 1,000,000 for the university.

As nice of a gesture as this is, it is but a small band-aid over a wound that is life-threatening. The only thing that will stop the bleeding is getting kids back in classrooms, fans back in football stadiums, and profitable college sports back on TV. 

We’ll see when any/all of that happens.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Well it’s official:

Lindsay Whalen has announced she is retiring at the end of the 2018 season. Whalen, who was also named head women’s basketball coach at the University of Minnesota in April, has been attempting to balance duties as a player and coach all season. It appears that the responsibility of doing both has finally become too much to bear:

Whalen will retire as one of the most decorated athletes not only in WNBA history:

but also the history of Minnesota athletes:

That tweet, by the way, is in response to a question of whether or not Whalen is on the Mount Rushmore of Minnesota sports:

The only thing that is ridiculous is this guy suggesting she isn’t part of a Minnesota sports Mount Rushmore.

With the news reaction of Whalen’s retirement poured in from around the WNBA:

But also from other Minnesota icons:

AND LEBRON JAMES???

The Lynx held a press conference earlier today to officially announce the news and Lynx coach/GM Cheryl Reeve reflected on Whalen’s career:

Whalen is the perfect Minnesota story. She has won at every level, and single-handedly put the Gopher women’s team on the map, back in her playing days. She also helped forge the Lynx into one of the most dominant teams in the WNBA. Winning is simply in her blood and she is now set up to bring that same winning mentality to the Gopher women’s basketball team, as the head coach. The fact that Whalen was able to get through most of the season, doing both jobs, is a testament to her resolve and determination.

Cheers Lindsay for a hell of a playing career. Hopefully the Lynx can get her one more ring this year, although it looks like it will take a bit more than the runs in recent years. Regardless, I have a feeling her coaching career is going to be just as successful.

via GIPHY

Seth Toupal @SethToups
Minnesota Sports Fan

The University of Minnesota’s decision to appoint Lindsay Whalen as the HC of the Gopher’s Women’s basketball team was a proverbial slam dunk. As soon as she was mentioned as a candidate, it was evident that if you build it hire her, ‘they’ will come.

In this particular circumstance, the word ‘they’ is referring to top-tier recruits. Not whoever the hell DJ Khaled is talking about.

Less than one month into her coaching tenure, the 4x WNBA champions’ impact on “Gophers recruiting is already being felt.”

Lindsay Whalen has nabbed an in-state commit.

Scalia is a 2019 guard who averaged 26.5 PPG for Stillwater this season https://t.co/E2nhMJjqWs

— jace frederick (@JaceFrederick) May 7, 2018

On Sunday, Sara Scalia’s Maroon and Gold commitment was the first of the Whalen era. Just three days later, the rookie coach quickly doubled down on her personal recruiting total:

The @GopherWBB family just got bigger! Welcome to the fam @mercedesstaples!! 〽 pic.twitter.com/Jy6DMCQg5u

— Lindsay Whalen (@Lindsay_13) May 9, 2018

Mercedes Staples played her high school basketball at Viewmont High School in Utah. The four star guard is currently the 64th ranked player in the class of 2018. As for why the 22 point per game scorer decided to take her talents to Minnesota, it wasn’t because of the weather:

Obviously, without Whalen at the helm, the highly coveted recruit (95 overall grade) wouldn’t be a future Gopher.

Unlike Staples, the earlier mentioned Sara Scalia’s college relocation won’t involve crossing any state lines. As stated in her announcement to attend Minnesota, the Stillwater product is “STAYING HOME!!”:

Thus far, Whalen’s ability to juggle her immense amount of coaching and Lynx related responsibilities has been more than impressive.

Minnesota’s Queen of Basketball’s day-to-day must be an absolute grind factory. However unimaginably jam-packed her schedule may be, all of that hard work appears to be paying off.

Lindsay Whalen’s recruiting pitch be like pic.twitter.com/M0INLi8YRn

— Johnny Minnesota (@TheJohnnyMN) May 10, 2018

Johnny Minnesota (@TheJohnnyMN)

MinnesotaSportsFan.com

The reactions surrounding Thursday’s reports that Lindsay Whalen will be the new head  coach for our Gophers Women’s Basketball Team were overwhelmingly positive. For the man who made the official announcement, Mark Coyle, hiring Minnesota’s Queen of Basketball was far from a brain teaser. It’s like the U of M Athletic Director was in need of a lumberjack, and Paul Bunyan was on the market.

If Lindsay Whalen wants to be the next U of M Women’s ? Coach, you give her the job. #SkiUMah #Gophers

?: @TheJohnnyMN https://t.co/AkCfMrje9A

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) April 10, 2018

Basically, all Coyle (and our article) did was what was expected of him (us). While the role of not screwing this up was successfully completed, when it’s all said and done, it takes two to tango.

Thankfully, Whalen has been waiting for this proverbial dance:

Lindsay’s hiring comes in the aftermath of former coach Marlene Stollings’ departure for Texas Tech. Here are the financial details behind Lindsay Coach Whalen’s new gig:

• $400,000 (2018-19 season)
• $457,500 (2019-20 season)
• $496,500 (2020-21 season)
• $521,325 (2021-22 season)
• $547,391 (2022-23 season)

The current Lynx star got a five-year deal that averages out to $484,543 (and twenty cents) annually. For comparison purposes, prior to leaving, Strollings had three years left on her $500,000 annual contract. As a result, the U of M is saving almost $15,500 a year with this move. That’s nice, right?

That’s right! That is nice. Although, when you peel back the curtain, the actual financial benefit of bringing in Whalen laughs at the idea of SAVING money on the switch.

via GIPHY

While her predecessor was under agreement until the 2020-21 season, the terms of Whalen’s deal go all the way through the 2022-23 campaign. As a result of those two additional years, annual comparison amounts are skewed.

To (properly) zero in on only the next three years, the Whalen deal totals almost $150,000 less than what Stollings’ now-voided contract would have come to. Speaking of what’s her face, check this out:

I understand everything is bigger in Texas, but damn. 

The way I see it, hiring Whalen while saving money, directly contradicts Business 101. The proverbial Paul Bunyan has agreed to come on board at a payroll reducing rate. Amazing. Fortunately for us, this contradiction is a blessing.

Oh, you need proof:

#Gophers AD Mark Coyle said 600 percent jump in season ticket sales from this point last year. There were 178 season tickets sold in 23 hours after Whalen was announced as head coach. @GopherWBB sold 1,138 season tickets last year. Might double that at this rate pic.twitter.com/hqmKI9XBuZ

— Marcus R. Fuller (@Marcus_R_Fuller) April 13, 2018

I can’t even begin to imagine that dollars and cents attached to that influx. And, it’s just the beginning

When it comes to the former Gopher player’s ability to recruit fans, those results speak for themselves. As for gathering top-tier recruits, you can expect similar results:

“Wow”

That was Geno Auriemma’s response earlier this week to the #Gophers idea of hiring Lindsay Whalen:

MORE: https://t.co/QdndlHzhk9
from @BloodStrib pic.twitter.com/fN3kiRvyLw

— Star Tribune Sports (@StribSports) April 13, 2018

Johnny Minnesota (@TheJohnnyMN)
MinnesotaSportsFan.com

Unlike their male counterparts, the University of Minnesota women’s basketball team had, what can be considered, a successful 2017-18 season. Last month’s upset victory over Green Bay (Nice), marked the program’s first NCAA Tournament win since 2009.

On top of tasting some March Madness success, the Maroon and Gold are set to return three starters for next year’s campaign. When you consider all of the positivity surrounding the women’s hoops squad, Monday’s news seemed to come out of left field:

Marlene Stollings leaving #Gophers basketball for Texas Tech.

STORY: https://t.co/unYDen0QPS
from @Marcus_R_Fuller pic.twitter.com/UfgbMGwEw3

— Star Tribune Sports (@StribSports) April 9, 2018

Okay, okay. Do your thing, Marlene. Or should I say, Tubby?

While Tubby Smith’s departure was to prevent his inevitable shit-canning, that doesn’t seem to match the motivation behind Stollings’ relocation to Texas. Back in August 2015, even before the earlier mentioned success and seemingly bright future, her contract was extended through 2020-21. I know that doesn’t handcuff a University’s from moving in a new direction, but you’d assume the U of M was more than happy to pay her annual $500K salary.

Whatever the reasoning may be, it is what it is. This (despite what the NCAA wants you to think) is business. After four years as the HC of Gophers women’s b-ball, Marlene Stollings is onto the next one.

Speaking of onto the next one, we are probably going to want to hire a replacement. That makes sense, right?

In regards to women’s basketball in the State of Minnesota, Lindsay Whalen is the Queen (Beyoncé who?). While that’s the first name that jumped into my head to replace Stollings, the logical part of my brain got pissed. That’s a pipe dream, right? Surprisingly enough, maybe not:

Note: Whalen “has given no public indication that she won’t play in the upcoming WNBA season.“

Along with her Gopher and Lynx legend, Marcus Fuller’s StarTribune article mentions Aaron Johnston (South Dakota State HC), Niele Ivey (Notre Dame Asst.), and Nikki Lowry-Dawkins (Gophers Asst.) as other names to watch. With all due respect to those individuals, if I’m Mark Coyle, this shit is simple.

As long as there is a possibility that Lindsay Marie Whalen may become Minnesota’s next women’s basketball coach, this job stays open. The position is available at her convenience. What the Hutchinson native lacks in coaching experience, she more than makes up for with her basketball experience. Even if she can’t coach a lick (I’m sure she can), the recruiting implications alone would be positive.

I know my advocating for Whalen to call the playing part of her career quits may sting some Lynx fans. However, the 4x champs will be just fine. Cheryl Reeve is rock-solid. You’d also assume that Reeve would be a rock-solid mentor:

Johnny Minnesota (@TheJohnnyMN)
MinnesotaSportsFan.com