Lindsay Whalen stepping down as Gophers women's basketball coach

MINNEAPOLIS -- Lindsay Whalen is stepping down as head coach of the University of Minnesota women's basketball team.

On Thursday, Whalen and the Director of Athletics Mark Coyle announced the move is effective immediately. However, she will remain with Gopher Athletics as special assistant to the athletics director through April 12, 2025.

"I want to thank Mark and the University for giving me the opportunity to lead this program five years ago," Whalen said. "It was an honor of a lifetime. I am grateful to my assistant coaches and staff and want to thank them for everything they did for our student-athletes during the last five years. We did things the right way and created a lot of memories, but now is the right time for me to step aside and return to being a proud alum. I look forward to supporting and cheering on the next head coach."

As head coach of the team for the last five seasons, Whalen notched a record of 71-76 and a Big Ten record of 32-58. 

She was a surprise hire when she took the job in 2018. While said to be a mutual decision, Whalen did not attend a scheduled press conference on Thursday afternoon. 

Her team never made the NCAA tournament during her tenure as coach, but she landed four top recruits. She was hoping to see that class through before the announcement was made. 

"She is so much loved in these hallways and these buildings," said Coyle. "I think we just felt that now was the right time."

Whalen is a former player for Minnesota in the early 2000s, becoming the program's first three-time All-American in school history. She also led the team to their only Final Four in program history. 

The search for the new coach will begin immediately.