Minneapolis/St. Paul – In conjunction with the WNBA’s Inspiring Women platform, the Minnesota Lynx today announced the 2015 “Inspiring Women” series presented by Land O’Lakes, Inc. The platform celebrates the accomplishments of women throughout the state of Minnesota who inspire, motivate and encourage others around them through personal and professional leadership. Beginning in June, the Lynx will honor one woman per month during the 2015 season. Each winner will be awarded a team-autographed basketball and receive recognition on LynxBasketball.com as an opportunity to tell their story.

Minnesota’s “Inspiring Women” series will honor its first nominee during the game against the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday, June 27 at Target Center. Fans can submit nominations of inspirational people from their lives by visiting the Community tab on LynxBasketball.com.

Last season, in the second year of the “Inspiring Women” platform, the Minnesota Lynx honored four individuals:

May Winner: Dorwatha Woods, principle of Ascension School for almost three decades, was honored for her work educating low income and minority children as well as her work with Joint Ministry Project, an interdenominational group formed to provide a voice for inner city low and moderate income people on a variety of issues.

July Winners: Val Aarsvold, the Executive Director at Minnesota FFA Foundation, was honored for  her dedication to helping young individuals grow their leadership and community service skills while working to find partners who understood the value of investing in them as well.

Sarah Caruso, President and Chief Executive Officer of Twins Cities United Way, was honored for her leadership in the organization that supports 338 Twin Cities programs and more than 180 nonprofits while seeking to build community strength.

August Winner: In August, the Lynx honored World War II veteran Shirley Dotten Westline. During World War II, Shirley served as Flight Orderly attached to Naval Air Transport. As a seaman first class she transported returning GIs that had been wounded or had been prisoners of war to veteran’s hospitals throughout the United States. Shirley received the American Theater Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.