Lynx's Cheryl Reeve wins WNBA Coach of the Year award for record fifth time after leading team to 33 wins

The Minnesota Lynx rose above the rest of the WNBA this season, winning a league-high 33 games thanks to contributions from rookie Olivia Miles and All-Stars Natasha Howard and Courtney Williams , among others.

At the center of that dominance, however, was head coach Cheryl Reeve, who was announced as the WNBA Coach of the Year on Monday.

It's a familiar honor for Reeve, who previously won the award four other times — 2011, 2016, 2020, 2024. Monday's victory gives Reeve her fifth-ever WNBA Coach of the Year award, extending her record.

Reeve finished ahead of Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase — who finished second — and Washington Mystics coach Sydney Johnson — who took third — in the voting. Reeve received 40 of 74 possible votes for the award, with Nakase getting 20 and Johnson receiving the other 14.

Reeve, who has spent 17 seasons with the Lynx, has a history of excellence with the franchise. She's led the team to four championships during her coaching tenure and in July became the WNBA's all-time regular-season coaching wins leader.

Reeve has won 397 games in the regular season, a number that should continue to keep rising after Monday's announcement.

Before Reeve can add to her regular-season record, however, she has her eyes set on winning a fifth WNBA championship. The Lynx, however, got off to a rocky start in the playoffs Sunday, falling to the New York Liberty 91-75 in Game 1. It will be up to Reeve to figure out how to get the top-seeded Lynx back on track before Game 2.