Minnesota Lynx
The Minnesota Lynx are an American women 's basketball team in the Women's National Basketball Association based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Play their home games from the team at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Lynx are the sister team of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association.
The team name comes from the English word for lynx.
- 4.1 Current squad of the 2011 season
- 4.2 Known former players
History
In April 1998, the WNBA announced that a new franchise in Minneapolis is built to be played in the WNBA already in the 1999 season. Brian Agler was appointed the first head coach of the Minnesota Lynx. On April 6, 1999 Expansion Draft was held for the Miracle and Lynx, where each team could select four players from eight WNBA teams after a certain order.
The Lynx started their first season as planned in 1999. In their first season game they faced the Detroit Shock in the Target Center, the Lynx won with 68-51. The Lynx won their first WNBA season in 15 of 32 games, but missed the playoffs clear. The home games of the Lynx visited an average of 12,000 spectators per game.
Since the Lynx could not improve in the next two seasons Agler was released during the 2002 season. Heidi VanDerveer took over for the remainder of the season Aglers items. For the 2003 season Suzie McConnell Serio was named the new head coach of the Lynx. Already in her first season as head coach she could with the Lynx win 18 of 34 games and reached the Lynx even the playoffs. In the playoffs, the Lynx failed short of the Los Angeles Sparks with 1:2 after games. During the 2004 season the Lynx could be recovered 18 of 34 games and qualified for the second time in a row for the playoffs, where they clearly with 0:2 failed in the Conference Semifinals at the Seattle Storm.
After two relatively successful seasons in the WNBA was surprising with Katie Smith, who was the best player of the Lynx at this time transferred to the Detroit Shock. The Lynx lost in the 2005 season without Smith the most of their games. However, the poor cut of the season helped them to secure the first pick in the 2006 Draft WNBA. The Lynx decided in draft for Seimone Augustus of Louisiana State University.
Although Augustus played a good first WNBA season, the Lynx were not convincing in the 2006 season. After the Lynx had lost 15 of 23 games, Suzie McConnell Serio announced on 23 July her resignation as head coach of the Lynx known. Serio was replaced by Carolyn Jenkins. The Lynx won under Jenkins only two of the remaining eleven -season games. Thus was this season, the worst to date the Lynx. At the end of this season Augustus was elected WNBA Rookie of the Year. Augustus was awarded this honor by the Betty Lennox, the second player of the Lynx.
On 13 December 2006, the Lynx Don ornaments appointed for a fifth head coach of the Lynx. On April 4, the WNBA Draft 2007 took place. The Lynx decided in the first round for Noelle Quinn. The Lynx transferred on the same day selected by the Lynx in the Dispersal Draft Tangela Smith to the Phoenix Mercury for Lindsey Harding, who was chosen on this day in the draft in the first position of the Mercury. The Lynx lost their first seven games in the 2007 season. In July, the Lynx even lost ten games in a row. The Lynx finished as the previous season with 10 defeats from 34 games.
Achievements and honors
Sporting successes
The biggest success in the franchise history celebrated the Lynx in the 2011 season when they won the championship for the first time. Here they defeated in the final series, the Atlanta Dream in three games.
Season statistics
Note: GP = Games, W = Wins, L = Losses
Coach
Brian Agler was the first head coach in the history of the Lynx. Since the Lynx athletic hardly have made progress under Agler he was released and Heidi VanDerveer took over for the remaining 13 games the office of the head coach. Suzie McConnell Serio in 2003 took over as coach. Under the leadership of McConnell Serio, the Lynx finished not only the first time the regular season with a positive balance, but also reached the playoffs for the first time in its history. This success could McConnell Serio repeat 2004. After the sporting successes of the team declined again from 2005 McConnell Serio finally released in 2006 and Carolyn Jenkins took over as coach on an interim basis. Even under Don ornaments, head coach from 2007 to 2008, and under Jennifer Gillom, head coach in 2009, the playoffs could not be reached. Since 2010, Cheryl Reeve in charge of the team. After a regular season in 2010, the Lynx finished under the leadership of Reeve the 2011 season with 27 wins in 34 games with the best record in the league. In the playoffs, the Lynx lost only one game ( Conference Semifinals against the San Antonio Silver Stars ), which Reeve the Lynx led to the first title of the franchise. At the end of the season Reeve was honored for her outstanding performance with the Coach of the Year Award.
Players
Current squad of the 2011 season
As of October 8, 2011
Well-known former players
( Team membership and position in brackets)
- United States Teresa Edwards (2003-2004, Guard )
- United States Betty Lennox (2000-2002, Guard / Forward)
- United States Katie Smith (1999-2005, Forward)