University of Minnesota Athletics
Women's Basketball
Whalen, Lindsay
Lindsay Whalen
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Phone:
- 612-624-3563
One of the most decorated players in women's basketball history, Lindsay Whalen returned to her alma mater as the 12th head women's basketball coach at the University of Minnesota on April 13, 2018.
In her four seasons guiding the Golden Gophers, Whalen has led the team to a 60-57 mark (.518) with a trip to the WNIT in 2018-19 and 2021-22. In addition, she has coached one WNBA draft pick, one All-American, 11 All-Big Ten honorees, two members of the Big Ten All-Freshman team, one Big Ten All-Defensive Team player and countless Academic All-Big Ten honorees.
The 2021-22 season saw the Maroon and Gold make their way to the postseason for the second time in four seasons under Whalen with a bid to the WNIT where the squad reached the second round. The team matched its 7-11 Big Ten record from the previous season and finished 15-18 overall. Minnesota played one of the toughest schedules in the country, and the hardest in the Big Ten, playing a total of 10 NCAA Tournament teams, defeating one. The Gophers also partook in the first women's Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas, defeating Syracuse while also battling UConn and Oklahoma. As a team, the Gophers improved in 20 different statistical categories during the 2021-22 campaign compared to 2020-21 including scoring offense (68.7 to 69.7), scoring defense (78.7 to 71.8), 3PT field goal percentage (.327 to .382), free throw percentage (.740 to .762), rebounds per game (35.95 to 36.91), blocks per game (2.5 to 3.5) and turnovers committed per game (15.3 to 14.4).
Sara Scalia was named Second Team All-Big Ten by the league's coaches and media while first-year Gopher Deja Winters earned an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten nod by the members of the media. Graduate transfer Bailey Helgren was also named the team's Sportsmanship Award representative.
The 2020-21 campaign, which took place amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, saw a young Gophers squad improve their conference win total from five to seven as they went 8-13 on the season and 7-11 in conference play. With 10 of its 13 players either freshmen or sophomores, no team in the Big Ten had a higher percentage of its roster comprised of underclassmen than Minnesota. In fact, of the 13 Gophers on the roster, six were playing in their first season of collegiate basketball and three transfers were playing in their first year at Minnesota.
Jasmine Powell was named Second Team All-Big Ten by the league's coaches and Honorable Mention All-Big Ten by the media covering the conference. Meanwhile, Sara Scalia was chosen Honorable Mention All-Big Ten by the coaches and media.
In Whalen's second season the Gophers went 16-15, including winning 11 straight games at one point, which was the sixth longest win streak in program history. During the stretch, they won four straight on the road, the seventh longest such streak at Minnesota. Included in the 11-game streak was an 80-66 upset of then-No. 19 Arizona State.
Five members of the team took home season honors from the Big Ten. Taiye Bello was a consensus All-Big Ten Second Team selection by the league's coaches and media, while Powell was a consensus pick for both All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Gadiva Hubbard was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honoree by the media, as was Scalia, who also earned a place on the media's Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
In her first season at the helm of the Gophers, Whalen guided the team to a 21-11 record overall, a 9-9 mark in league play and a spot in the second round of the WNIT. She became the fifth coach in program history to lead the team to 20 wins in their first season. The Gophers enjoyed a 10-week run in the AP Poll, their longest stretch since the 2005-06 season.
Minnesota began the 2018-19 season by winning its first 12 games, tied for the third best streak in team history.
Whalen returned to the Gophers after destroying the program's record book in the early 2000s, finishing her career as Minnesota's all-time points leader, along with being second all-time in assists and third all-time in steals. A four-time all-state selection at Hutchinson High School, about an hour west of Minneapolis, Whalen went on to become the catalyst for the most successful seasons in the history of Gopher women's basketball.
She was the first three-time All-American in program history, a three-time All-Big Ten selection and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. After a Sweet Sixteen appearance her junior season (2002-03), Whalen led the Gophers to their only Final Four in program history in 2004. Her jersey, No. 13, hangs in the rafters of Williams Arena.
Whalen went on to collect numerous honors and championships in the WNBA and with the U.S. National team. After playing five seasons with the Connecticut Sun, Whalen returned to her home state with the Minnesota Lynx and has since won four WNBA championships (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017). Both the Lynx and Sun have retired Whalen's No. 13 jersey. Whalen was named All-WNBA five times and finished her career as the winningest player in league annals, having been a part of more than 300 victories in her career. She also finished third in WNBA history in assists, to go along with being in the top-20 in career points and steals. She also played professionally in Turkey, Russia and the Czech Republic.
In international competition, Whalen was a key piece to dominant performances by Team USA in world championship and Olympic competition. Whalen played for two gold medal teams at the World Championships (2010, 2014) and has also won two Olympic gold medals (2012, 2016).
As part of Whalen's agreement to become head coach, she continued to play for the Minnesota Lynx before retiring at the end of the 2018 season. Previously, Whalen announced in February of 2018 that she was retiring from international competition. She had played for the U.S. National team since 2002, joining Team USA following her sophomore season with the Gophers.
In her four seasons guiding the Golden Gophers, Whalen has led the team to a 60-57 mark (.518) with a trip to the WNIT in 2018-19 and 2021-22. In addition, she has coached one WNBA draft pick, one All-American, 11 All-Big Ten honorees, two members of the Big Ten All-Freshman team, one Big Ten All-Defensive Team player and countless Academic All-Big Ten honorees.
The 2021-22 season saw the Maroon and Gold make their way to the postseason for the second time in four seasons under Whalen with a bid to the WNIT where the squad reached the second round. The team matched its 7-11 Big Ten record from the previous season and finished 15-18 overall. Minnesota played one of the toughest schedules in the country, and the hardest in the Big Ten, playing a total of 10 NCAA Tournament teams, defeating one. The Gophers also partook in the first women's Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas, defeating Syracuse while also battling UConn and Oklahoma. As a team, the Gophers improved in 20 different statistical categories during the 2021-22 campaign compared to 2020-21 including scoring offense (68.7 to 69.7), scoring defense (78.7 to 71.8), 3PT field goal percentage (.327 to .382), free throw percentage (.740 to .762), rebounds per game (35.95 to 36.91), blocks per game (2.5 to 3.5) and turnovers committed per game (15.3 to 14.4).
Sara Scalia was named Second Team All-Big Ten by the league's coaches and media while first-year Gopher Deja Winters earned an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten nod by the members of the media. Graduate transfer Bailey Helgren was also named the team's Sportsmanship Award representative.
The 2020-21 campaign, which took place amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, saw a young Gophers squad improve their conference win total from five to seven as they went 8-13 on the season and 7-11 in conference play. With 10 of its 13 players either freshmen or sophomores, no team in the Big Ten had a higher percentage of its roster comprised of underclassmen than Minnesota. In fact, of the 13 Gophers on the roster, six were playing in their first season of collegiate basketball and three transfers were playing in their first year at Minnesota.
Jasmine Powell was named Second Team All-Big Ten by the league's coaches and Honorable Mention All-Big Ten by the media covering the conference. Meanwhile, Sara Scalia was chosen Honorable Mention All-Big Ten by the coaches and media.
In Whalen's second season the Gophers went 16-15, including winning 11 straight games at one point, which was the sixth longest win streak in program history. During the stretch, they won four straight on the road, the seventh longest such streak at Minnesota. Included in the 11-game streak was an 80-66 upset of then-No. 19 Arizona State.
Five members of the team took home season honors from the Big Ten. Taiye Bello was a consensus All-Big Ten Second Team selection by the league's coaches and media, while Powell was a consensus pick for both All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Gadiva Hubbard was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honoree by the media, as was Scalia, who also earned a place on the media's Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
In her first season at the helm of the Gophers, Whalen guided the team to a 21-11 record overall, a 9-9 mark in league play and a spot in the second round of the WNIT. She became the fifth coach in program history to lead the team to 20 wins in their first season. The Gophers enjoyed a 10-week run in the AP Poll, their longest stretch since the 2005-06 season.
Minnesota began the 2018-19 season by winning its first 12 games, tied for the third best streak in team history.
With the 12-0 start, Whalen tied her former coach, Pam Borton (2002-03), for the best undefeated start by a coach in their first year at a Big Ten school since the incorporation of women’s athletics in the conference in 1982-83. The only coach at a Big Ten school with more wins in his or her first year there was Ohio State’s Debbie Wilson, who started 14-0 in 1972-73.
Under Whalen's tutelage, Kenisha Bell earned honorable mention All-America honors from the AP, was a semifinalist for the 2019 Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year Award, garnered consensus First Team All-Big Ten honors from the league's coaches and media and was a member of the All-Big Ten Defensive Team. In addition, Destiny Pitts was named First Team All-Big Ten by the league's coaches (second team by the media), and Taiye Bello was an All-Big Ten honorable mention honoree.
Under Whalen's tutelage, Kenisha Bell earned honorable mention All-America honors from the AP, was a semifinalist for the 2019 Naismith Women's Defensive Player of the Year Award, garnered consensus First Team All-Big Ten honors from the league's coaches and media and was a member of the All-Big Ten Defensive Team. In addition, Destiny Pitts was named First Team All-Big Ten by the league's coaches (second team by the media), and Taiye Bello was an All-Big Ten honorable mention honoree.
Whalen returned to the Gophers after destroying the program's record book in the early 2000s, finishing her career as Minnesota's all-time points leader, along with being second all-time in assists and third all-time in steals. A four-time all-state selection at Hutchinson High School, about an hour west of Minneapolis, Whalen went on to become the catalyst for the most successful seasons in the history of Gopher women's basketball.
She was the first three-time All-American in program history, a three-time All-Big Ten selection and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. After a Sweet Sixteen appearance her junior season (2002-03), Whalen led the Gophers to their only Final Four in program history in 2004. Her jersey, No. 13, hangs in the rafters of Williams Arena.
Whalen went on to collect numerous honors and championships in the WNBA and with the U.S. National team. After playing five seasons with the Connecticut Sun, Whalen returned to her home state with the Minnesota Lynx and has since won four WNBA championships (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017). Both the Lynx and Sun have retired Whalen's No. 13 jersey. Whalen was named All-WNBA five times and finished her career as the winningest player in league annals, having been a part of more than 300 victories in her career. She also finished third in WNBA history in assists, to go along with being in the top-20 in career points and steals. She also played professionally in Turkey, Russia and the Czech Republic.
In international competition, Whalen was a key piece to dominant performances by Team USA in world championship and Olympic competition. Whalen played for two gold medal teams at the World Championships (2010, 2014) and has also won two Olympic gold medals (2012, 2016).
As part of Whalen's agreement to become head coach, she continued to play for the Minnesota Lynx before retiring at the end of the 2018 season. Previously, Whalen announced in February of 2018 that she was retiring from international competition. She had played for the U.S. National team since 2002, joining Team USA following her sophomore season with the Gophers.
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