Lin Dunn

Lin Dunn (born May 10, 1947)[1] is an American women's basketball coach, currently an special assistant to the head coach with Kentucky. She is most known for being the first coach and general manager for the Seattle Storm. She has more than 500 wins to her name.

Lin Dunn

Kentucky Wildcats
Position	Special Assistant to the Head Coach
League	Southeastern Conference
Personal information
Born	(1947-05-10) May 10, 1947 Dresden, Tennessee
Nationality	American
Career information
College	Tennessee–Martin
Coaching career	1970–present
Career history
As coach:
1970–1976	Austin Peay State
1977–1978	Ole Miss
1978–1987	Miami (FL)
1987–1996	Purdue
1997–1998	Portland Power
2000–2002	Seattle Storm
2004–2007	Indiana Fever (assistant)
2008–2014	Indiana Fever
2016–present	Kentucky (assistant/spec asst)
Career highlights and awards
WNBA champion (2012)
Medals Women’s Basketball Head Coach for  United States William Jones Cup 1995 Taipei Team Competition Assistant Coach for  United States Olympic Games 1992 Barcelona Team Competition FIBA World Championship for Women 1990 Kuala Lumpur Team Competition Goodwill Games 1990 Seattle Team Competition

A native of Dresden, Tennessee, Dunn graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 1969. She coached for decades in the college ranks, amassing a 447-257 record in 25 seasons as a college head coach. In her tenure at Austin Peay State University (1970–1976), the University of Mississippi (1977–1978), the University of Miami (1978–1987) and Purdue University (1987–1996), she made the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship seven times, and the Final Four once, in 1994 with Purdue. She is in the Athletics Hall of Fame at both Austin Peay and Miami. Dunn also was president of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association in 1984-85.

Dunn was abruptly fired at Purdue after the 1995-96 season, but resurfaced in the pros with the American Basketball League's Portland Power in 1996. She was ABL's coach of the year in 1998, right before that league folded. Dunn then became the first coach and GM of the expansion Seattle Storm in the ABL's rival, the WNBA. Her folksy southern personality was a hit in Urbane, Seattle, with fans often wearing Dunn masks and quoting her rustic aphorisms. The team started with a dismal 6-26 season.

Dunn left the Storm just as it was starting to have success. New superstars Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird led the team to the 2002 playoffs, where they were swept by the Los Angeles Sparks. Dunn then resigned, leaving the path open for Anne Donovan to build a championship team just two seasons later.

Dunn is a former head coach of the Indiana Fever.[2] Dunn won the WNBA championship with the Fever on October 21, 2012.

On May 6, 2014, Dunn announced her retirement from coaching at the end of the year.

On June 14, 2014; Dunn was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.[3]

On May 24, 2016, she was introduced as an assistant coach for Matthew Mitchell at Kentucky.[4] On May 26, 2017, UK Athletics announced that Coach Dunn had signed a one-year contract extension.[5]

In 2018, her role at Kentucky changed to special assistant to the head coach. [6]