The 2026 WNBA end-of-season awards have kicked off with Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx being named Coach of the Year. This marks the fifth time Reeve has received the award, emphasizing her dominance in the league. Her previous wins were in 2011, 2016, 2020, and 2024.
Reeve secured 54% of the votes from WNBA journalists and broadcasters. Natalie Nakase, head coach of the Golden State Valkyries, was the runner-up with 27%. Sydney Johnson, head coach of the Washington Mystics, earned 18% of the votes.
In her 17th season, Reeve led the Lynx to an impressive regular season record of 33-11. This achievement secured them the No. 1 seed in the WNBA Playoffs. Throughout the 2026 season, Reeve served as an All-Star Coach for the sixth time. In July, she became the league’s winningest regular-season coach with 380 wins.
As the playoffs progress, the Lynx prepare to face the New York Liberty in Game 2 of the first round on Tuesday, September 29. The first round’s best-of-three series started on Sunday, September 27.