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Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Whalen's Contract Extended into 2025
3/11/2022 8:52:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Minnesota and head women's basketball coach Lindsay Whalen have agreed to a contract extension that will keep Whalen at her alma mater into 2025. The extension became official Friday after being approved at the Board of Regents meeting.
One of the most decorated players in women's basketball history, Whalen, who is a 2022 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Finalist, returned to the University of Minnesota as the head women's basketball coach on April 13, 2018.
In her four seasons guiding the Golden Gophers, Whalen has led the team to a 59-55 mark with a trip to the WNIT in 2018-19. Whalen has coached one WNBA draft pick, one All-American, 11 All-Big Ten honorees and two members of the Big Ten All-Freshman team. She's also coached one All-Defensive Team player and has guided 18 different student-athletes to Academic All-Big Ten status.
Joining the Golden Gophers in 2022 is the No. 10 nationally ranked signing class, according to ESPN. The class exclusively consists of Minnesotans (Mara Braun - Wayzata, Mallory Heyer - Chaska, Amaya Battle - Hopkins, Nia Holloway - Eden Prairie). Additionally, all four of the Gophers signees were named nominees for the McDonald's All-American game.
Under Whalen's tutelage this season, junior guard Sara Scalia became one of the best 3-point shooters in program history and was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. Scalia eclipsed 200 made threes in her career, just the seventh Gopher to do so. Her 105 made threes during the 2021-22 season is the second most only behind Rachel Banham's 119 in 2015-16. Scalia is also currently 10th in career scoring average at 14.3, just ahead of Janel McCarville (2001-05) and just behind Linda Roberts (1977-81). Joining Scalia with All-Big Ten honors was graduate student Deja Winters who was named to the Honorable Mention team by the members of the media.
In 2022 Minnesota played one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation, winning games over a pair of Power 5 programs, including at Arizona State and in the Bahamas at the inaugural Women's Battle 4 Atlantis against Syracuse. Whalen's Gophers finished the 2021-22 regular season ranked No. 5 in the nation in 3-point percentage and the taem's 261 made threes is the third-most made in program history in a single season. This season Whalen helped three student-athletes, two being Minnesotans, break the 1,000-point career scoring mark (Sara Scalia - Stillwater, Minn., Laura Bagwell Katalinich - Minneapolis, Minn., Deja Winters - Cleveland, Ohio).
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 won four WNBA championships (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017). Whalen was named All-WNBA five times and finished her career ranked third in WNBA history in assists, to go along with being in the top-20 in career points and steals. She retired as the winningest player in WNBA history, having been a part of more than 300 wins in the league. 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).
One of the most decorated players in women's basketball history, Whalen, who is a 2022 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Finalist, returned to the University of Minnesota as the head women's basketball coach on April 13, 2018.
In her four seasons guiding the Golden Gophers, Whalen has led the team to a 59-55 mark with a trip to the WNIT in 2018-19. Whalen has coached one WNBA draft pick, one All-American, 11 All-Big Ten honorees and two members of the Big Ten All-Freshman team. She's also coached one All-Defensive Team player and has guided 18 different student-athletes to Academic All-Big Ten status.
Joining the Golden Gophers in 2022 is the No. 10 nationally ranked signing class, according to ESPN. The class exclusively consists of Minnesotans (Mara Braun - Wayzata, Mallory Heyer - Chaska, Amaya Battle - Hopkins, Nia Holloway - Eden Prairie). Additionally, all four of the Gophers signees were named nominees for the McDonald's All-American game.
Under Whalen's tutelage this season, junior guard Sara Scalia became one of the best 3-point shooters in program history and was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. Scalia eclipsed 200 made threes in her career, just the seventh Gopher to do so. Her 105 made threes during the 2021-22 season is the second most only behind Rachel Banham's 119 in 2015-16. Scalia is also currently 10th in career scoring average at 14.3, just ahead of Janel McCarville (2001-05) and just behind Linda Roberts (1977-81). Joining Scalia with All-Big Ten honors was graduate student Deja Winters who was named to the Honorable Mention team by the members of the media.
In 2022 Minnesota played one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation, winning games over a pair of Power 5 programs, including at Arizona State and in the Bahamas at the inaugural Women's Battle 4 Atlantis against Syracuse. Whalen's Gophers finished the 2021-22 regular season ranked No. 5 in the nation in 3-point percentage and the taem's 261 made threes is the third-most made in program history in a single season. This season Whalen helped three student-athletes, two being Minnesotans, break the 1,000-point career scoring mark (Sara Scalia - Stillwater, Minn., Laura Bagwell Katalinich - Minneapolis, Minn., Deja Winters - Cleveland, Ohio).
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 won four WNBA championships (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017). Whalen was named All-WNBA five times and finished her career ranked third in WNBA history in assists, to go along with being in the top-20 in career points and steals. She retired as the winningest player in WNBA history, having been a part of more than 300 wins in the league. 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).
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