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Seattle Times reports:
Lin Dunn, the former Portland Power coach in the now-defunct ABL, has been named Seattle's new WNBA coach and general manager, former Reign Coach Tammy Holder confirmed today.
Holder interviewed for the position Tuesday. A club official called her late last night to inform her of the decision.
"Unless something crazy happens on the way to the airport, it's Lin Dunn," said Holder after her conversation with Karen Bryant, the team's senior director of operations.
"The Seattle community is very dear to me and that's the part that saddens me the most," Holder said. "But maybe there will other possibilities."
Dunn, 51, was fired at Purdue after nine seasons before she was hired in Portland. She took over the last-place Power midway into the 1996-97 season. By the end of the 1997-98 year, Portland clinched the Western Conference title. Dunn was named ABL coach of the year after the impressive 21-17 season.
Before the ABL dissolved in December, the Power was 9-4 and leading the conference. Out of a job, Dunn returned to her Dresden, Tenn., home to "watch a lot of basketball," she said. Dunn also helped the WNBA Houston Comets with its draft.
Dunn's Portland team attracted an average of 5,000 fans. Seattle's new WNBA team has only collected 1,300 season ticket pledges. The WNBA has told the Seattle franchise that it needs 5,500 by Oct. 15 in order to keep the franchise.
Dunn coached Purdue to a a 206-68 win-loss record over nine seasons. She led the Boilermakers to seven NCAA tournament appearances, three Big Ten championships and one Final Four in 1994.
After finishing the 1996 season 20-11, she was fired for unspecified reasons.
-- Jayda EvansWNBA.com Confirms Deal
SEATTLE, July 22 -- Full House Sports & Entertainment announced the hiring of Lin Dunn as general manager and head coach of the new WNBA team in Seattle. Dunn previously coached the ABL Western Conference Champion Portland Power and was a draft consultant to the WNBA Champion Houston Comets this year.
"We made a commitment to bring a top, national coach to Seattle, and we certainly have that with Lin," said team Chairman Ginger Ackerley. "We couldn't be more pleased."
Dunn led the Portland Power to a Western Conference Championship in her first full season at Portland, and won three Big Ten championships during her 10 years as head coach at Purdue University.
"From my first interview, this organization showed it was serious and committed to a successful, winning team in Seattle," said Dunn. "That sense of urgency to sell the necessary tickets, be an important part of the community and play winning basketball convinced me that this was the best place for me. I'm already thinking about who I want on this team to help us win a championship."
Full House Senior Director of WNBA Operations Karen Bryant knows what it is like to face Dunn on the other sideline.
"After watching Lin turn the Power around, I decided that if we had a chance to get her on our side, we had to go for it," said Bryant. "There are few coaches in the country who are as talented and widely respected as Lin."
Those sentiments were echoed by Van Chancellor, head coach of the two-time WNBA Champion Houston Comets. Chancellor hired Dunn this year as the Comets draft consultant for the 1999 WNBA Draft.
"Her scouting ability is unbelievable," said Chancellor. "The secret to this job is scouting players and she is one of the best in the business. The Seattle WNBA team picked a top of the line coach. I don't think they could have done any better."
Dunn, who preceded a line of successful coaches in West Lafayette (Nell Fortner and Carolyn Peck), also receives high praise from respected college coaches.
"For Seattle it is a great hire because Lin Dunn has obviously been successful at every program she has been a part of," Tennessee's Pat Summitt said. "In particular her ability to communicate and work with pro athletes is exceptional. I know she loves the game and is excited about being a part of Seattle and the WNBA. She will do a great job."
Full House Sports & Entertainment is the business arm of the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics and the new WNBA team. Full House manages all finance, marketing, sales, concessions, broadcast production, public relations and retail functions for both teams.
WNBA.com Presents the Dunn Fact Sheet
PROFESSIONAL COACHING HIGHLIGHTS
Head Coach, American Basketball League Portland Power, 1996-98
Named 1998 ABL Coach of the Year
Won Western Conference Championship in her first full season as head coach, 1997-98
Compiled 45-30 record during time in Portland
Helped Portland Power reach the 2nd highest attendance average in the league
Helped Portland Power achieve highest marketing revenue in the league
Coached the 1998 ABL All-Star Game as an assistant
Responsible for coaching two-time ABL MVP Natalie Williams
Took last place Portland to first place in one season
Draft Consultant, Houston Comets, 1999
Assisted two-time WNBA Champion Houston Comets with 1999 draft
COLLEGIATE COACHING HIGHLIGHTS
Head Coach, Purdue University, 1987-96 Compiled .752 winning percentage
Reached the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament in 1994
Reached the Sweet 16 on four different occasions
Reached the NCAA Tournament during seven different seasons
Won three Big Ten Championships
Recruited some of the top players in the country and twice had the top ranked recruiting class in the nation, the third best twice and the fourth best class once
Lifetime Collegiate Record, 1970-96 447 wins and 257 losses
INTERNATIONAL BASKETBALL COACHING HIGHLIGHTS
Won a bronze medal in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain as an assistant coach
Won a gold medal in the 1990 World Championships as an assistant coach
Won a gold medal in the 1990 Goodwill Games as an assistant coach
Coached 14 medal-winning Olympians
Won Bronze medal in 1995 as head coach of the Jones Cup team.
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