Sacramento's John Whisenant named WNBA Coach of the Year
Published on September 2, 2005 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release
NEW YORK, Sept. 2 - Monarchs head coach John Whisenant was named the 2005 WNBA Coach of the Year, receiving 25 of a possible 50 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, the WNBA announced today.
Whisenant coached the Monarchs to the second-best record in the WNBA and posted a franchise-best 25 victories, along with posting Sacramento's best overall record (25-9). He helped the Monarchs capture their first-ever regular season conference title, earning them the top seed in the West. The Monarchs have posted a 55-29 (.654) record since Whisenant took over as head coach in the middle of the 2003 season. Whisenant has guided Sacramento to back-to-back Western Conference Finals.
Sacramento posted the best home record in the league (15-2) and won a franchise record eight consecutive home games during the season. The team finished the year winning 12 of its last 14 games. Below are the complete results of the 2005 WNBA Coach of the Year voting and past recipients:
COACH OF THE YEAR RESULTS
25 John Whisenant Sacramento Monarchs 19 Mike Thibault Connecticut Sun 3 Van Chancellor Houston Comets 1 Brian Winters Indiana Fever 1 Carrie Graf Phoenix Mercury 1 Pat Coyle New York Liberty
COACH OF THE YEAR WINNERS
2005 John Whisenant Sacramento Monarchs
2004 Suzie McConnell Serio Minnesota Lynx
2003 Bill Laimbeer Detroit Shock
2002 Marianne Stanley Washington Mystics
2001 Dan Hughes Cleveland Rockers
2000 Michael Cooper Los Angeles Sparks
1999 Van Chancellor Houston Comets
1998 Van Chancellor Houston Comets
1997 Van Chancellor Houston Comets
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from September 2, 2005
- Monarchs Western Conference Finals Tickets On Sale - Sacramento Monarchs
- Complimentary Storm Fans Shuttle available tomorrow afternoon - Seattle Storm
- Fever hosts opening game of eastern conference finals - Thursday, Sept. 8 - Indiana Fever
- Sacramento's Nicole Powell named 2005 WNBA Most Improved Player - WNBA
- Sacramento's John Whisenant named WNBA Coach of the Year - WNBA
- Get to know your Fever - Indiana Fever
- Mercury to begin search fo new head coach - Phoenix Mercury
- Sun forward Taj Mcwilliams-Franklin recieves Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award - WNBA
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