For the first time since “resigning” as coach of the University of Minnesota women’s basketball team, Lindsey Whalen has addressed her departure.
In an hour long interview Wednesday with Dan Barreiro on KFAN, Whalen discussed her final days as coach and meetings with athletic director Mark Coyle. Whalen and Coyle met the day after the Gophers lost to Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament.
At the time, the manner of Whalen’s departure suggested it wasn’t a mutual decision, with local sports insiders reporting that she had been planning for next season before the announcement.
Speaking to Barreiro, Whalen confirmed she was effectively pushed out, saying: “I agreed to resign but by that point there wasn’t going to be the option that I was going to return.”
Coyle and Whalen were originally set to take part in the resignation press conference together, but Whalen ultimately did not attend.
When asked why, Whalen said: “Honestly, I was just like, ‘I need to go home.'”
The Hall of Famer said the stress of coaching her alma mater and wanting to be successful for the state she grew up in got to her at times.
“It was a struggle at times. I was having a hard time eating,” Whalen continued. “You feel the pressure of winning, your alma mater and I want to do well for this state and everything. At that point there was definitely sometimes where I was like ‘I think it’d be best if somebody else… you know?'”
As for why she hasn’t talked much about the separation until now?
“I just wanted the dust to settle. I wanted to move on. I wanted the women on the team to be able to move on. I wanted the program to be able to move on. I think that Dawn [Plitzuweit] is going to do a great job. She already has done a great job. I think she’s going to do great.”
Whalen had originally agreed to stay on with the University as a special assistant to Coyle, but ended up turning that role down and accepting a buyout settlement.
“Ultimately I got home and had some time to think,” she said. “I just, ultimately, was like, ‘it’s just best if I move on.'”
Whalen talked with former coaches while fulfilling commitments with USA Basketball this summer and even reached out to former Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders, saying that helped.
Here’s the full interview:
