Minnesota Hires Lindsay Whalen

[Orangutan]

Lindsay Whalen Takes Over Women's Basketball

"As part of Whalen's agreement to become head coach, which is pending approval from the University's Board of Regents, she will play continue to play for the Minnesota Lynx."

 

[Orangutan]

 

[dogged1]

A great player for the Sun. Wish her well in her coaching career.

 

[JavaMan]

That's quite a transition. The girl is non-stop. Wishing her the best. I've always admired her.

Minnesota women are not to be reckoned with. I'm quite familiar with them ...well, one in particular anyway ...so I should know.

BTW, on the plus side, I suppose Geno and CD are breathing a little easier with this news. Me too!

​

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I wish her well, but I'm not sure if I'd be in favor of hiring a part-time player to
be a part-time coach. Running a D1 program is pretty much a full-time job.

Yes, Geno had the national team distraction for a number of years, but he had
CD and some veteran assistants to hold the fort and keep things running
smoothly.

 

[Dillon77]

That is going to be one busy player and coach this summer. Hiring the right assistant coaches is going to be paramount. And even then, I wonder how long you can be both a player and a coach (for different organizations) and be effective in either or both and not frazzle out.

On another note (and thread of ours), the Paige Bueckers recruitment might be getting more interesting now that there's a former...err, current...great point guard coaching at the local school. Geesh....the drama.

That said, good luck to Lindsay.

Well, one less possible destination for Niele Ivey of the Irish and Marisa Moseley of the Huskies.

 

[ConnFanInMich]

I really hope that works out for them, Lindsay has always been a favorite of mine.

Unfortunately UConn fans have first-hand experience of how painful it is if it doesn't.

 

[Vowelguy]

I wish her well, but I'm not sure if I'd be in favor of hiring a part-time player to
be a part-time coach. Running a D1 program is pretty much a full-time job.

Yes, Geno had the national team distraction for a number of years, but he had
CD and some veteran assistants to hold the fort and keep things running
smoothly.

JRizz was the coach at Hartford while she was still in the W.

 

[oldude]

Great hire, although I too would be concerned with her playing in the WNBA. Players show up on campus for summer classes and workouts. It’s an important time for the HC to be on campus. In addition, it’s a good time for a coach to make the rounds to scout the AAU circuit.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[BRS24]

I have to wonder, although LW was a good pro and nat'l team player, other than being a MN native, what is she bringing to the role? I am not knocking any of her experience, however, I cannot believe that there weren't a number of qualified assistant coaches that were ready to take the next step. I'm not a fan of hiring former players/commentators to make a splash (Hardaway @ Memphis, Dykes @ Ark, etc). It's hard enough for anyone to advance in this industry that have the experience.

(halfway through this post before seeing the comment re Geno's recommendation)

 

[Bronxjeff]

Good for her!

 

[MilfordHusky]

I can see the meeting between Lindsay and Cheryl Reeve being like a take-off on the Captain Morgan commercial. Instead of “Captain. Captain. Captain.” it will be “Coach. Coach.”

 

[Roger G]

I have to wonder, although LW was a good pro and nat'l team player, other than being a MN native, what is she bringing to the role? I am not knocking any of her experience, however, I cannot believe that there weren't a number of qualified assistant coaches that were ready to take the next step. I'm not a fan of hiring former players/commentators to make a splash (Hardaway @ Memphis, Dykes @ Ark, etc). It's hard enough for anyone to advance in this industry that have the experience.

(halfway through this post before seeing the comment re Geno's recommendation)

That's a good point, but one thing in her favor is that she is a point guard and of any position the point guard has to take the most into consideration.

 

[Bernie]

Minnesota chooses chaos.

 

[Gus Mahler]

JRizz was the coach at Hartford while she was still in the W.

Plus Dawn Staley at Temple.

 

[Plebe]

No one is as synonymous with Minnesota women's basketball as Whalen.

But it feels like a roll of the dice with someone who has zero coaching experience. We'll see how it goes.

 

[SCspur]

Good for her! I'm wishing her well, and think it could be a plus for both parties! Dawn did it so why can't Lindsay?

 

[Stinger92860]

I’ve always loved watching Lindsay play. I wish she was Husky.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Reypl21]

Third times the charm

 

[MilfordHusky]

I was wondering if this would affect Paige’s selection. Of course, I want her. But I’d rather see Paige at Minnesota than at Notre Dame.

 

[DefenseBB]

No one is as synonymous with Minnesota women's basketball as Whalen.

But it feels like a roll of the dice with someone who has zero coaching experience. We'll see how it goes.

but isn't any selection of an assistant (zero HC experience) a roll of the dice? Usually the step ups in lower to mid-major to P5s seem to have a better track record though as the Pitt situation proves, not always.