The Minnesota Lynx today announced the hiring of Cheryl Reeve as the team’s new head coach. Reeve most recently served an assistant coach and general manager for the WNBA’s Detroit Shock. As per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Reeve’s coaching resume includes 21 years as both an assistant and a head coach at the collegiate and WNBA levels. In 2009, Reeve served as an assistant coach with the WNBA’s Detroit Shock, and was promoted to the team’s general manager position just three games into the season. Hired by three-time WNBA champion head coach Bill Laimbeer, Reeve joined the Shock coaching staff in 2006 and helped the franchise reach the WNBA Finals in each of her first three years, winning WNBA titles in 2006 and 2008. During her four years with Detroit, the team held an 87-49 win/loss record and won at least 18 games each season, including 24 in 2007. Reeve also served as the Shock’s director of player personnel in 2008.
“We are very excited to have hired Cheryl to lead our team,” said Lynx Executive Vice President Roger Griffith. “She’s been part of two WNBA championships in Detroit, has been in two other WNBA finals, and has been to the playoffs in seven of her nine seasons in the league. She’s had the chance to learn from three of the most accomplished and well-respected coaches that have ever coached in the WNBA in Bill Laimbeer, Anne Donovan, and Dan Hughes. Overall, she has 21 years of coaching experience between the WNBA and collegiate levels, including a five-year stint as a head coach at Indiana State, where she led them to their first postseason birth in 20 years. We’re very excited about her passion and enthusiasm for the job, her lengthy experience as a coach, and her knowledge of the teams and the players in this league. We also like the confidence and belief she has that our team can be successful immediately. We believe hiring Cheryl puts us in the best position to win right now. We expect with the return to health of Seimone Augustus and Nicky Anosike, coupled with the No. 1 and No. 3 draft picks, the player we acquire via the dispersal draft of former Sacramento Monarchs players and our returning players that, under Cheryl’s direction, we’ll be a championship caliber team in 2010.”
“I’m looking forward to this exciting opportunity to lead the Minnesota Lynx,” said Reeve. “I believe that with the rising young talent on this team, the return of Seimone Augustus, and the additions we’ll make to the roster this offseason, the time is now for the Lynx to be the best in the West. I have spent the last four WNBA seasons competing for championships and look forward to doing the same with the Lynx.”
Reeve got her start in the WNBA with the Charlotte Sting in 2001 when she joined Anne Donovan’s staff as an assistant coach. After posting an 8-24 record in 2000, Charlotte turned things around in Reeve’s first year, going 18- 14 en route to advancing to the WNBA Finals. Reeve spent the 2002 season again in Charlotte before joining Dan Hughes’ coaching staff in Cleveland for the 2003 season. Reeve returned to the Sting in 2004 and 2005 before joining Detroit in 2006. In Reeve’s nine years as an assistant in the WNBA, she’s compiled a .543 winning percentage (163- 137 W/L), including seven postseason appearances and advancing to the WNBA Finals four times.
“This is great news for the Lynx,” said former Detroit Shock head coach and general manager and current Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Bill Laimbeer. “She really knows the league — the teams and the personnel. I’m confident that Cheryl will be successful. She’s worked under numerous coaches who’ve had success in this league and she’s been to the WNBA Finals four times, and has won two WNBA Championships. She has good, sound coaching experience and knows how to get the job done.”
“Cheryl is an outstanding basketball coach with extensive experience in the WNBA,” said San Antonio Silver Stars head coach Dan Hughes. “She’s been a pivotal part of so many successful teams in this league. I’m so excited that she has an opportunity to lead her own team and I applaud Minnesota for recognizing this outstanding coach.”
Before joining the WNBA coaching ranks, Reeve spent 12 years coaching collegiately, including a five-year stint as head coach at Indiana State from 1995-2000. Reeve guided the Sycamores to the program’s first postseason berth in 20 years following the 1998-99 campaign.
Reeve also spent five years as an assistant coach at George Washington. During that time, the Colonials posted five 20-win seasons, captured three Atlantic 10 Conference Championships and appeared in four NCAA Tournaments. Reeve got her start in coaching at her alma matter, La Salle, as an assistant coach for two seasons.