MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx today announced
the team has signed Head Coach Cheryl Reeve to a multi-year contract extension.
Reeve has also assumed the role of General Manager and has announced the
following updates to the team’s basketball operations staff for the 2018
season: Clare Duwelius has been promoted to Assistant General Manager while
Assistant Coaches Shelley Patterson and Walt Hopkins have agreed to multi-year
contract extensions. Assistant Coach James Wade remains on staff. Per team
policy, terms of the deals were not released.
“I appreciate Glen Taylor’s confidence in me to continue
to lead the Lynx organization,” said Lynx head coach and general manager Cheryl
Reeve. “I’m thrilled with the strong and passionate staff we’ve assembled and
look forward to the challenges that lie ahead.”
“I am thrilled to not only have Cheryl back as our Head
Coach, but also to have her assume her new role in leading our Lynx basketball
operations,” said Lynx owner Glen Taylor. “Cheryl has demonstrated her ability
to lead in guiding us to four WNBA championships, and I have complete
confidence in her ability to continue to guide our organization. The 2018
season is shaping up to be our most exciting one in Lynx history, as we host
the WNBA All-Star Game at Target Center, and return the core of our
championship team to make a run at a fifth title.”
Reeve wrapped up her eighth season as Lynx Head Coach in
2017, leading Minnesota to a 27-7 record and its fourth WNBA championship in
the last seven years, tying the Houston Comets for the most titles by one
franchise in league history. Since taking over in Minnesota, Reeve owns a
career 195-77 record, the most coaching wins in franchise history. She was
initially named Head Coach on Dec. 8, 2009, replacing Jennifer Gillom.
Under Reeve’s tutelage the Lynx have compiled 195 wins,
the most prolific eight-year run in WNBA history. This past season Minnesota
registered its sixth 25-win campaign while becoming the first franchise to win
27+ games in a season four separate times. Reeve’s .715 career winning
percentage ranks first in league history; she's one of just two coaches to win
more than 60% of their games (Van Chancellor, .655).
Reeve becomes the sixth dual Head Coach and General
Manager currently in the WNBA, joining Amber Stocks (Chicago), Curt Miller
(Connecticut), Pokey Chatman (Indiana), Bill Laimbeer (Las Vegas) and Mike
Thibault (Washington).
Duwelius recently completed her fourth season with the
Lynx as Basketball Operations Manager, having been responsible for the
day-to-day tasks of the basketball operations department including organizing
travel arrangements, scheduling of practices at home and on the road, facility
setup for the Lynx and visiting teams, as well handling all uniform and
equipment related tasks for members of the Lynx basketball program. A native of
Des Moines, Iowa, Duwelius graduated from Wayne State (Nebr.) College where she
played basketball and earned her degree in Sports Management, and then obtained
her Master’s in Business Administration degree from Southwest Minnesota State
University.
Patterson enters her eighth season as an Assistant Coach
with the Lynx. She provides support in opponent scout preparation and game
planning as well as individual player development. Prior to her arrival in
Minnesota, Patterson, a 23-year coaching veteran in both the professional and
collegiate ranks, worked for three seasons on Brian Agler’s staff in Seattle.
Patterson also spent eight years working in different capacities with five WNBA
organizations, including the 1999 Houston Comets championship team.
The 2017 season was Wade’s first as an Assistant Coach
with the Lynx. In his role with the Lynx, Wade assists with the team’s scouting
efforts, talent evaluation, and player development. He joined the Lynx staff
after serving as an Assistant Coach with the San Antonio Stars from 2013-16. In
2012, he joined San Antonio as a basketball coaching intern and went on to be
hired as an assistant coach in 2013. During his time with the San Antonio, Wade
coordinated the Stars’ defense and was responsible for leading individual
player development. He also assisted with team development, video breakdown and
game planning.
Hopkins completed his first season in Minnesota as an Assistant Coach. He has
over a decade of experience as a basketball coach at the professional,
collegiate and high school levels. Hopkins worked in the WNBA as the Player
Development Coach for the Tulsa Shock (2013) and has also served as Assistant
Women’s Basketball Coach at Utah Valley University (2013-14).
