The Minnesota Lynx started their playoff series with the New York Liberty with a dud. Minnesota lost Game 1 91-75 after being unable to stop Breanna Stewart for a full 40 minutes. The silver lining is that Minnesota just received a major honor despite suffering a huge setback in Game 1.

Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve has been named the 2026 WNBA Coach of the Year, the league announced on Monday per Khristina Williams.

This is the fifth time that Reeve has won the honor, extending her lead over all other coaches in WNBA history. Her previous victories came during the 2011, 2016, 2020, and 2024 seasons.

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Reeve led Minnesota to an impressive 33-11 record during the regular season, the best in the W. That secured the No. 1 seed in the playoffs for the Lynx, which could soon come in handy.

More on this story to come.