University of Minnesota Athletics
Women's Basketball
Rachel Banham
- Title:
- Assistant Coach/Director of Quality Control
University of Minnesota women's basketball head coach Dawn Plitzuweit announced the elevation of Rachel Banham to Assistant Coach.Â
Banham, who will continue to fulfill the role of Director of Quality Control along with being an assistant coach, rejoined the program back in September of 2022 after playing for the Maroon and Gold from 2011-16. As the Director of Quality Control Banham will provide support to the staff to enhance the quality and efficiency of day-to-day operations, and is responsible for assisting with practice, game preparation, statistical analysis and more.Â
At Minnesota Banham scored 3,093 points, leaving the college game as the No. 1 scorer in Big Ten history and sixth in NCAA history. She was the 2016 Big Ten Player of the Year and made 354 threes during her career, a program record. She is arguably most known for her then-NCAA record 60-point performance against Northwestern in 2016, a year that ended with her earning a First Team All-American nod.Â
After her stellar college career Banham was selected fourth overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2016 WNBA Draft and was traded to the Minnesota Lynx in 2020. With the Lynx Banham has upped her scoring output, highlighted by a career season in 2022 where she averaged 7.9 points and was 13th in the league in 3-point shooting percentage at 38.3, leading the team with 57 made threes in a career high 17.5 minutes per game. Banham most recently just completed her eighth season in the WNBA and will continue her playing career in professional basketball alongside her role with the University of Minnesota. In her most recent season Banham finished the regular season seventh in the WNBA in 3-point percentage (41.3 percent) among qualified individuals.
In her career in the WNBA Banham has made 234 threes and has made the playoffs six of her eight seasons in the league.Â
Banham, who will continue to fulfill the role of Director of Quality Control along with being an assistant coach, rejoined the program back in September of 2022 after playing for the Maroon and Gold from 2011-16. As the Director of Quality Control Banham will provide support to the staff to enhance the quality and efficiency of day-to-day operations, and is responsible for assisting with practice, game preparation, statistical analysis and more.Â
At Minnesota Banham scored 3,093 points, leaving the college game as the No. 1 scorer in Big Ten history and sixth in NCAA history. She was the 2016 Big Ten Player of the Year and made 354 threes during her career, a program record. She is arguably most known for her then-NCAA record 60-point performance against Northwestern in 2016, a year that ended with her earning a First Team All-American nod.Â
After her stellar college career Banham was selected fourth overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2016 WNBA Draft and was traded to the Minnesota Lynx in 2020. With the Lynx Banham has upped her scoring output, highlighted by a career season in 2022 where she averaged 7.9 points and was 13th in the league in 3-point shooting percentage at 38.3, leading the team with 57 made threes in a career high 17.5 minutes per game. Banham most recently just completed her eighth season in the WNBA and will continue her playing career in professional basketball alongside her role with the University of Minnesota. In her most recent season Banham finished the regular season seventh in the WNBA in 3-point percentage (41.3 percent) among qualified individuals.
In her career in the WNBA Banham has made 234 threes and has made the playoffs six of her eight seasons in the league.Â
Behind the Scenes: B1G Media Day
Tuesday, October 14
Braun & Battle at B1G Media Day
Wednesday, October 08
Coach Plitzuweit at B1G Media Day
Wednesday, October 08
Sights & Sounds: First Practice
Monday, September 29
