Cheryl Reeve

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.Caffrey, Michelle. [http://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/index.ssf/2012/01/championship_wnba_coach_and_wa.html "Championship WNBA coach and Washington Township graduate to be honored by Philadelphia Sports Writers Association"], NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 22, 2012. Accessed September 23, 2017. "Cheryl Reeve has made her hometown proud. A 1984 graduate of Washington Township High School, Reeve recently led the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx team to a championship victory." 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.{{cite web|title=Head coach of the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx|publisher=La Salle University|url=http://www.lasalle.edu/admission/lasalliandiffprofile/cheryl-reeve/|access-date=September 26, 2017}}

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).{{cite web | access-date=January 23, 2019 | date=December 16, 2009 | title=Sycamores Ready for Bahamas Sunsplash Shootout | url=https://gosycamores.com/news/2009/12/16/204858825.aspx | publisher=Indiana State Sports | website=gosycamores.com}}{{cite web | url=https://siusalukis.com/news/2001/3/20/SIU_Set_to_Host_Indiana_State.aspx?path=wbball|title=SIU Set to Host Indiana State|publisher=Southern Illinois Salukis | date=January 24, 2001|access-date=January 14, 2019}}{{cite web | url=https://www.apnews.com/62c35d2bb819e651e44cef98a0c4ef86|date=March 27, 2001

|access-date=January 14, 2019 |publisher=AP News |title=Wiedie Remains Indiana State Coach}}{{cite web |url=https://dailyegyptian.com/36459/archives/mvc-womens-basketball-outlook/|publisher=Daily Egyptian | date=January 17, 2001|first=Gus|last=Bode|access-date=January 14, 2019|title=MVC women's basketball outlook}} 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.

Image:Minnesota Lynx Bench, June 2011.jpg

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."[http://m.startribune.com/news/?id=129849413&c=y Lynx coach knows good basketball]

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.[http://www.wnba.com/lynx/news/pressrelease_Reeve_Named_WNBA_Coach_of_the_Year_2011_09_16.html Reeve Named WNBA Coach of the Year]{{cite web |url=http://www.sportspagemagazine.com/content/bb/wp-bb/art-wp-bb/lynx-reeve-moore-receive-league-awards.shtml?48847 |title=Lynx Reeve, Moore Receive League Awards :: SportsPageMagazine.com |access-date=September 19, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002210025/http://www.sportspagemagazine.com/content/bb/wp-bb/art-wp-bb/lynx-reeve-moore-receive-league-awards.shtml?48847 |archive-date=October 2, 2011}} The Lynx finished what they started, losing only one game in the playoffs en route to their first WNBA championship.

File:Cheryl Reeve cropped.jpg

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.[http://www.wnba.com/games/20120825/MINATL/gameinfo.html#nbaGIlive Augustus, Brunson lead Lynx past Dream] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120827185309/http://www.wnba.com/games/20120825/MINATL/gameinfo.html#nbaGIlive |date=August 27, 2012 }} 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.[http://www.swishappeal.com/2013/7/27/4563764/wnba-all-star-game-2013-final-score-candace-parker-mvp Parham, Nate. "2013 WNBA All-Star Game Final Score: Candace Parker's MVP Performance Leads West to 102–98 Victory." Swish Appeal. 27 July 2013.] Reeve's team then swept through the playoffs, going 7–0 en route to their second championship under her leadership.

Reeve is currently the most successful coach in franchise history, both in terms of the number of games won and winning percentage, and also has the highest winning percentage 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.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-20 |title=As WNBA playoffs tip off, here’s you need to know about the Minnesota Lynx |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/09/20/wnba-playoffs-what-to-know-minnesota-lynx |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=MPR News |language=en}}

In December 2017, Reeve was also promoted to the Lynx General Manager position.{{cite web |last=Youngblood |first=Kent |date=December 28, 2017 |title=Lynx's Cheryl Reeve promoted to general manager |url=http://www.startribune.com/lynx-s-cheryl-reeve-promoted-to-general-manager/466985713/ |access-date=January 25, 2019 |publisher=Star Tribune}} With her 2022 contract extension, Reeve moved from the general manager position to president of basketball operations.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-03 |title=Reeve gets extension, promotion to Lynx prez |url=https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/34940135/cheryl-reeve-gets-extension-promotion-lynx-president |access-date=2024-09-29 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

Throughout her tenure, Reeve has won many accolades for her coaching. She was named WNBA Coach of the Year in 2011, 2016,{{Cite web|url=http://www.excellesports.com/news/cheryl-reeve-wins-wnba-coach-of-the-year/|title=Cheryl Reeve wins WNBA Coach of the Year|date=September 30, 2016|language=en-US|access-date=September 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003065458/http://www.excellesports.com/news/cheryl-reeve-wins-wnba-coach-of-the-year/|archive-date=October 3, 2016|url-status=dead}} 2020,{{Cite web |title=Cheryl Reeve Named WNBA Coach Of The Year |url=https://www.wnba.com/news/cheryl-reeve-named-wnba-coach-of-the-year/ |access-date=2020-09-19 |website=WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA |language=en}} and 2024. She was named the AP coach of the year in 2020{{Cite web|title=Crystal Dangerfield is Rookie of Year, Cheryl Reeve top coach in media WNBA awards|url=https://www.startribune.com/crystal-dangerfield-rookie-of-year-cheryl-reeve-top-coach-in-ap-wnba-awards/572417282/|access-date=2020-09-17|website=Star Tribune}} and 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-22 |title=AP WNBA Awards |url=https://apnews.com/sports/las-vegas-f7089ba2aed16a16f16527e98cb4d4f8 |access-date=2024-09-22 |website=AP News |language=en}} Additionally, she was inducted into the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023.{{Cite web |last=MitchellHansen |date=2023-12-28 |title=Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve Part of 2023 Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame Class |url=https://www.canishoopus.com/2023/12/28/24017967/lynx-head-coach-cheryl-reeve-2023-minnesota-sports-hall-of-fame-class-wnba-championships |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Canis Hoopus |language=en}}

In the 2016 and 2020 games, Reeve served as an assistant coach on Team USA. In 2016, Geno Auriemma was the head coach, while Dawn 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.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-11 |title=Could Cheryl Reeve Be Next USA Head Coach? |url=https://zonecoverage.com/2021/lynx/could-cheryl-reeve-be-next-usa-head-coach/ |access-date=2021-08-12 |website=Zone Coverage |language=en-US}}

Reeve was named the head coach for the women's national team in December 2021.{{Cite web |title=Cheryl Reeve Named USA Basketball’s 2022 National Team Coach of the Year |url=https://www.usab.com/ |access-date=2024-06-09 |website=USA Basketball |language=en}} As head coach, she led the national team to its fourth World Cup with the October 2022 win. She was named USA Basketball's National Team Coach for the Year in 2022 following the World Cup win. The national team won its 8th Olympic gold medal in the final game against France on August 11, 2024, with Reeve as head coach.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-11 |title=U.S. women's basketball team beats France by 1 point to get 8th straight Olympic gold medal - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-womens-basketball-france-olympics-gold-medal/ |access-date=2024-08-11 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}

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.{{cite news|title=Minnesota Lynx coach and VP come out publicly as married couple|url=https://www.outsports.com/2017/12/21/16809652/minnesota-lynx-gay-lgbt-coach-vp|author=Ziegler, Cyd|date=December 21, 2017|access-date=December 22, 2017|publisher=SB Nation: Vox Media}}

{{NBA coach statistics legend}}

{{NBA coach statistics start}}

|-

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" |2010

|34||13||21||.382|| align="center" |5th in West||—||—||—||

| align="center" |Missed Playoffs

|- ! style="background:#FDE910;"

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" |2011

|34||27||7||.794|| align="center" |1st in West||8||7||1||.875

| align="center" |Won WNBA Finals

|-

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" |2012

| 34|| 27|| 7||.794|| align="center" |1st in West||9||5||4||.555

| align="center" |Lost WNBA Finals

|- ! style="background:#FDE910;"

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" |2013

| 34 || 26|| 8||.765|| align="center" |1st in West||7 ||7 ||0 ||1.000

| align="center" |Won WNBA Finals

|-

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" |2014

| 34 || 25|| 9||.735|| align="center" |2nd in West||5 ||3 ||2 ||.600

| align="center" |Lost in Western Conference Finals

|- ! style="background:#FDE910;"

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" |2015

| 34 || 22|| 12||.647|| align="center" |1st in West||10 ||7 ||3 ||.700

| align="center" |Won WNBA Finals

|-

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" |2016

| 34 || 28|| 6||.824|| align="center" |1st in West||8 ||5 ||3 ||{{winning percentage|5|3}}

| align="center" | Lost in WNBA Finals

|- ! style="background:#FDE910;"

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" |2017

| 34 || 27|| 7||.794|| align="center" |1st in West||8 ||6 ||2 ||.700

| align="center" |Won WNBA Finals

|-

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" |2018

| 34 || 18|| 16||.529|| align="center" |4th in West||1 ||0 ||1 ||.000

| align="center" |Lost in 1st Round

|-

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" |2019

| 34 || 18|| 16||.529|| align="center" |4th in West||1 ||0 ||1 ||.000

| align="center" |Lost in 1st Round

|-

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" |2020

| 22 || 14 || 8 ||{{winpct|14|8}}|| align="center" |4th in West|| 4 || 1 || 3 || {{winpct|1|3}}

| align="center" |Lost in Semifinals

|-

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" | 2021

| 32 || 22 || 10 || {{winpct|22|10}} || align="center" | 2nd in West || 1 || 0 || 1 || {{winpct|0|1}}

| align="center" |Lost in Second Round

|-

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" |2022

|36||14||22||{{winpct|14|22}}|| align="center" |5th in West||—||—||—||

| align="center" |Missed Playoffs

|-

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" | 2023

| 40 || 19 || 21 || {{winpct|19|21}} || align="center" | 3rd in West || 3 || 1 || 2 || {{winpct|1|2}}

| align="center" |Lost in 1st Round

|-

| align="left" | MIN

| align="left" | 2024

| 40 || 30 || 10 || {{winpct|30|10}} || align="center" | 1st in West || 12 || 7 || 5 || {{winpct|7|5}}

| align="center" |Lost in WNBA Finals

|-class="sortbottom"

| align="left" |Career

| ||510||330||180||{{winning percentage|330|180}}|| ||77||49||28||{{winning percentage|49|28}}

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Category:1966 births

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