![]() Reeve in 2022 | |
Minnesota Lynx | |
---|---|
Position | Head coach, President of Basketball Operations |
League | WNBA |
Personal information | |
Born | Gloucester County, New Jersey, U.S. | September 20, 1966
Career information | |
High school | Washington Township (Sewell, New Jersey) |
College | La Salle (1984–1988) |
Coaching career | 1988–present |
Career history | |
1988–1990 | La Salle (assistant) |
1990–1995 | George Washington (assistant) |
1995–2000 | Indiana State |
2001–2002 | Charlotte Sting (assistant) |
2003 | Cleveland Rockers (assistant) |
2004–2005 | Charlotte Sting (assistant) |
2006–2009 | Detroit Shock (assistant) |
2010–present | Minnesota Lynx |
Career highlights and awards | |
As head coach:
As assistant coach:
| |
Cheryl Reeve (born September 20, 1966) is an American basketball head coach and President of Basketball Operations for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA. [1] Reeve has coached the Lynx to four league championships. In WNBA history, she has the highest winning percentage, she has won the most games of any female coach, and she has won the most postseason games of any coach. [2] [3] Reeve was named the WNBA Coach of the Year in 2011, [4] 2016, [5] and 2020 [6] and WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year in 2019. [7]
Reeve grew up in Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey and graduated from Washington Township High School in 1984, where she was part of the school's first team to make the state finals. [8] In 1988, Reeve was a Rhodes Scholar nominee and received a MAAC Scholar-Athlete Post Graduate Award and an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship. She earned a bachelor's degree in computer science that year and then an MBA, both from La Salle University. [9]
Reeve started out as assistant coach at her alma mater, La Salle for two years. She was then an assistant at George Washington for five years. The Colonials posted five 20-win seasons, captured three Atlantic 10 Conference Championships and appeared in four NCAA tournaments during Reeve's stint at George Washington. Her first head coaching position was with the Indiana State Sycamores from 1995 to December 1 of the 2000–2001 season (replaced by her assistant coach Jim Wiedie). [10] [11] [12] [13] She improved the team's record each year for the first four seasons, and led the squad to its first postseason berth in 20 years following the 1998-1999 campaign. She's currently tied with Kay Riek for 5th in Wins among Lady Sycamore annals
Reeve got her start in the WNBA with the Charlotte Sting in 2001 when she joined Anne Donovan’s staff as an assistant. After posting an 8-24 record the year previous, Charlotte turned things around in Reeve’s first year by going 18-14 and advancing to the WNBA Finals. They followed in 2002, with another 18-14 mark and their second straight appearance in the postseason.
Following the 2002 campaign, Donovan left to become the head coach of the Seattle Storm, and Dan Hughes and the Cleveland Rockers hired Reeve away from Charlotte. The Rockers advanced to the playoffs that year, but in the offseason ownership decided to cease operation of the team making Reeve a coaching free agent. She rejoined the Sting staff for the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Reeve then spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Detroit Shock, also serving as the team's last general manager before they moved to Tulsa.
In the last two Olympics, the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro and 2020 in Tokyo, Reeve has served as an assistant coach on Team USA. In 2016, Geno Auriemma was the head coach, while Staley took over for the 2020 competition.
Before taking on her role among the assistant coaching staff, Reeve had served as an assistant for the 2014-16 USA National Team that took home gold medals at the 2014 FIBA World Cup Team and 2016 Olympic Games. She returned as an assistant for the 2018 World Cup Team, winning gold and qualifying the USA for the 2020 Olympics. [14]
Reeve was named the head coach of the Minnesota Lynx on December 8, 2009. In her first season, the Lynx went 13-21, missing the playoffs. The team was hampered by injuries to Candice Wiggins and Seimone Augustus. At one point, a frustrated Reeve said bluntly, "We are a bad basketball team. It starts at the top. I have not been able to get them to understand defensively what we need to get done and, clearly, our offense is one of the worst in the league." [15]
The Lynx improved dramatically in 2011. With Wiggins and Augustus back healthy, and with the addition of rookie Maya Moore, the team got off to a quick start and did not falter throughout the regular season, finishing with a league-best 27–7 record. The dramatic turnaround earned Reeve the WNBA Coach of the Year Award in just her second year as a head coach at the professional level. [16] [17] The Lynx finished what they started, losing only one game in the playoffs en route to their first WNBA championship.
Reeve took her team back to the playoffs in her third year. The team qualified for the playoffs after just 21 games, the fastest in franchise history. Reeve became the winningest coach in Lynx franchise history on August 26, 2012, with a win over the Atlanta Dream. [18] The Lynx went on to lose to the Indiana Fever in the WNBA Finals.
In 2013, Reeve and her staff coached the WNBA Western Conference All-Star Team, as the Lynx had won the conference championship the previous year. Reeve's squad included four Lynx players -- Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore, Rebekkah Brunson, and Lindsay Whalen. Reeve's team ended up winning the game, 102–98. [19] Reeve's team then swept through the playoffs, going 7-0 en route to their second championship under her leadership.
Reeve is currently the winningest coach in franchise history, both in terms of the number of won games and winning percentage, and by percentage the winningest coach in WNBA history. She won her 100th regular season game on June 2, 2014, in a victory over the San Antonio Stars. She won her 31st postseason game on September 30, 2016, in a semi-final victory over the Phoenix Mercury, to move into first place in WNBA history in playoff wins.[ citation needed ]
Reeve was named the WNBA coach of the year by a panel of media representatives in 2016. [20]
In December 2017, Reeve was also promoted to the Lynx General Manager position. [21]
Reeve was named the AP coach of the year in 2020, [22] as well as the WNBA Coach of the Year. [23]
Reeve is married to singer and Lynx vice president Carley Knox. They have one child, Oliver, who Knox said has seen every Lynx home game since he was born. [24]
Year | G | W | L | W-L% | Conference | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1995-96 | 26 | 7 | 19 | .269 | 3–15 (9th) | [25] |
1996-97 | 27 | 14 | 13 | .519 | 9–9 (T4th) | [26] |
1997-98 | 28 | 17 | 11 | .607 | 10–8 (4th) | MVC Tournament 2nd round [27] |
1998-99 | 29 | 18 | 11 | .621 | 10–8 (4th) | MVC Tournament 2nd round, WNIT at Wisconsin [28] |
1999-00 | 27 | 9 | 18 | .333 | 5–13 (T7th) | [29] |
2000-01 | 6 | 1 | 5 | .167 | 0-0 | Resigned on December 1, 2000. [10] [11] [30] |
Overall | 143 | 66 | 77 | .462 | 37-53 | [10] |
Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MIN | 2010 | 34 | 13 | 21 | .382 | 5th in West | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs | |
MIN | 2011 | 34 | 27 | 7 | .794 | 1st in West | 8 | 7 | 1 | .875 | Won WNBA Finals |
MIN | 2012 | 34 | 27 | 7 | .794 | 1st in West | 9 | 5 | 4 | .555 | Lost WNBA Finals |
MIN | 2013 | 34 | 26 | 8 | .765 | 1st in West | 7 | 7 | 0 | 1.000 | Won WNBA Finals |
MIN | 2014 | 34 | 25 | 9 | .735 | 2nd in West | 5 | 3 | 2 | .600 | Lost in Western Conference Finals |
MIN | 2015 | 34 | 22 | 12 | .647 | 1st in West | 10 | 7 | 3 | .700 | Won WNBA Finals |
MIN | 2016 | 34 | 28 | 6 | .824 | 1st in West | 8 | 5 | 3 | .625 | Lost in WNBA Finals |
MIN | 2017 | 34 | 27 | 7 | .794 | 1st in West | 8 | 6 | 2 | .700 | Won WNBA Finals |
MIN | 2018 | 34 | 18 | 16 | .529 | 4th in West | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost in 1st Round |
MIN | 2019 | 34 | 18 | 16 | .529 | 4th in West | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost in 1st Round |
MIN | 2020 | 22 | 14 | 8 | .636 | 4th in West | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 | Lost in Semifinals |
MIN | 2021 | 32 | 22 | 10 | .688 | 2nd in West | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost in Second Round |
MIN | 2022 | 36 | 14 | 22 | .389 | 5th in West | — | — | — | Missed Playoffs | |
Career | 430 | 281 | 149 | .653 | 61 | 41 | 21 | .661 |
The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises. The team is owned by Robert Sarver, who also owns the NBA team Phoenix Suns.
The Minnesota Lynx are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team won the WNBA title in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017.
The Detroit Shock were a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006, and 2008 WNBA champions.
Lindsay Marie Whalen is the head coach of the University of Minnesota's women's basketball team.
Seimone Delicia Augustus is an American former professional basketball player who is currently an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted first overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2006 draft and, but for her final season in 2020 with the Sparks, played her entire career with Minnesota. An eight-time All-Star and the 2008 finals MVP, Augustus lead the Lynx to four WNBA championships. Augustus is one of the most recognizable faces in the WNBA.
Noelle Quinn is a basketball coach and former player who is currently the head coach for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). As a player, Quinn played for many WNBA teams and for Botaş SK of the Turkish Women's Basketball League.
Rebekkah Brunson is an American basketball coach, currently an assistant coach with the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Brunson is a former forward for the Lynx and is the only player to win 5 WNBA championships. She held the WNBA record for rebounding, which she ceded to Lynx's center Sylvia Fowles in 2020.
Jia Dorene Perkins is an American retired professional basketball player. She announced her retirement after the 2017 season when the Lynx won the WNBA championship. She was born in Newburgh, New York. She moved to Granbury, Texas where she attended Granbury High School.
Erlana La'Nay Larkins is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent.
The 2010 WNBA season was the 14th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The regular season began with a televised (ESPN2) meeting between the defending champion Phoenix Mercury and the Los Angeles Sparks in Phoenix, Arizona on May 15. The Connecticut Sun hosted the 10th Annual All-Star Game which was broadcast live on ESPN on July 10. This year, it was a contest between Geno Auriemma's USA Basketball team and a single team of WNBA All-Stars. The Finals was a series between the Seattle Storm and the Atlanta Dream which Seattle won 3–0.
The 2011 WNBA season is the 13th season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association. The Lynx qualified for the WNBA Playoffs for the first time since 2004 and won their first Western Conference championship.
Taj McWilliams-Franklin is a former American professional women's basketball player.
The 2011 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2011 season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Minnesota Lynx, champions of the Western Conference, swept the champions of the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Dream in three games.
Damiris Dantas do Amaral is a Brazilian basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
The USC Trojans women's basketball team, or the Women of Troy, is the collegiate women's basketball team that represents the University of Southern California, in the Pac-12 Conference. The team rose to prominence in 1976, at which time scholarships became available to female basketball players. They were the first Division I team to give these scholarships.
The 2017 WNBA season of the Minnesota Lynx is their 19th season in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Lynx finished the 2016 season with a record of 28–6, finishing first in the Western Conference and qualifying for the playoffs, before ultimately beating Los Angeles in the WNBA Finals to win their league-tying best fourth championship.
The 2019 WNBA season was the 23rd season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Seattle Storm were the defending champions. The regular season began on May 24, with the Atlanta Dream hosting the Dallas Wings and the New York Liberty hosting the Indiana Fever. The season ended with the Washington Mystics securing their first WNBA Title over the Connecticut Sun three games to two, in a closely contested finals. Emma Meesseman was named Finals MVP and teammate Elena Delle Donne was named regular season MVP.
The 2019 WNBA season of the Minnesota Lynx will be their 21st season in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Lynx finished the 2018 season with a record of 18–16, finishing fourth in the Western Conference and seventh overall in the league, while qualifying for the playoffs, before ultimately being beat by Los Angeles in the first Round of the 2018 WNBA Playoffs.
Crystal Simone Dangerfield is an American basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). After a high school career that made her the nation's top-ranked point guard, she played college basketball for the UConn Huskies. Dangerfield was drafted in the second round of the 2020 WNBA draft by Minnesota, where she was named WNBA Rookie of the Year after leading the team in scoring.
The 2022 WNBA season is the current and 24th season for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association. The season began on May 6, 2022, versus the Seattle Storm.