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Roberts Receives Contract Extension Through 2030
6/25/2024 10:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Women’s basketball head coach has guided Utes to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah women's basketball's head coach Lynne Roberts has signed a contract extension through June of 2030, Director of Athletics Mark Harlan announced today. In her ninth year at the helm of the Utes last season, Roberts guided Utah to a third consecutive first-round NCAA tournament win for the first time in program history.
"Lynne Roberts has done a phenomenal job leading our women's basketball program over the past nine seasons, and I'm thrilled to be able to extend her contract for an additional three seasons," said Mark Harlan, Director of Athletics. "She has continued to produce championship-level results with three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, and energized our fan base and the community. As we transition into the Big 12 Conference she has her program poised to attract the best student-athletes in recruiting and compete for championships and NCAA tournament berths."
Roberts, the 2022-23 Pac-12 Coach of the Year, will enter her 10th season with the Utes in 2024-25, holding an overall record of 162-115. She has 383 career wins in 23 seasons as a head coach.
"I am incredibly grateful and humbled for the opportunity to continue coaching here at the University of Utah," Roberts said. "My family and I love the Utah community and I can't imagine leading another program. Thank you to Mark Harlan and Charmelle Green for their trust and belief in what we're continuing to build in our women's basketball program. When I took this job nine years ago, my vision was to create a nationally relevant program, build an incredible home court advantage with the amazing fans of Salt Lake City, and take us to heights we had not achieved before. While we have achieved so much, the job is not finished. I'm as motivated as ever to continue climbing and cut down more nets. It's a great day to be a Ute!"
During the 2023-24 season, she led the Utes to a 23-win season, eclipsing the 20-win mark for the third year in a row. The Utes advanced to the NCAA Tournament and picked up their third consecutive opening-round victory, advancing to the second round for the most consecutive NCAA Tournament first-round wins in program history.
Utah was the second highest-scoring team in the Pac-12 last season, averaging 77.7 points per game, which is the fourth-highest figure in school history and the highest since 2021-22. Utah also led the Pac-12 in three-pointers made per game (4th NCAA; school-record 348), assists per game (6th NCAA; 19.5) and field goal percentage (12th NCAA; 47.6%).
Ten new Utes have joined the 1,000-point club during Roberts' tenure, including Alissa Pili who did it in just 48 games as a Ute and Megan Huff who did it in just two seasons. She also has watched five school records fall, including three consecutive team single-season three-point records, and has coached multiple athletes to top-10 all-time rankings in program and Pac-12 history. The Utes broke the school record for three-pointers made in 2018-19 (239), 2019-20 (253), 2021-22 (312) and 2023-24 (348).
In her nine years in Salt Lake City, the Utes have appeared in the postseason six times and have had six seasons with 18 or more wins, including four 20-win seasons. The Utes won 27 games in 2022-23 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, which marked the furthest advancement for Utah since 2006, and just the third Sweet 16 in school history. She led the Utes to two consecutive seasons being ranked in the AP Top 25 including the highest ranking in school history at No. 3 in 2022-23.
The 2022-23 season was monumental in program history as Roberts was named the first Pac-12 Coach of the Year for Utah after she led Utah to a share of its first Pac-12 regular season title. The Utes finished that campaign with a record of 27-5, marking the second-most wins in a season in program history. Under the guidance of Roberts, Alissa Pili was named Pac-12 Player of the Year, the first player in Utah history to earn the honor. In 2021-22 Gianna Kneepkens was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, just the second time a Utah player has claimed the award. Roberts collected her 100th win at Utah on Jan. 14, 2021, with an 89-48 victory over UC Riverside.
During her time at Utah, the Utes have had two All-Americans in Alissa Pili and Gianna Kneepkens, as well as, 28 All-Pac-12 selections and 30 Pac-12 All-Academic selections, as well as Utah's first player of the year award in 2019 after producing a Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. The Utes earned their second Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honor in 2022.
Roberts will enter her 23rd season as a head coach in 2024-25. Prior to her nine seasons at Utah she spent nine seasons at Pacific and four years at Chico State. In her career, she has helped 47 total athletes to all-conference selections as a head coach.
While at Pacific, she was a two-time conference coach of the year and led the Tigers to postseason appearances in each of her last four seasons. She rebuilt a program that had won just 11 games combined in the two seasons before she took over and ended her career there with 25 All-Big West selections.
In her first stint as a head coach, Roberts took over the program at Chico State, where she compiled an 86-31 overall record, earning WBCA West Region Coach of the Year in 2004-05 after leading the Wildcats to the NCAA Division II Final Four.
Roberts, a native of Redding, Calif., began her coaching career as an assistant at her alma mater, Seattle Pacific University, from 1997 to 2001. She graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 1997.
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"Lynne Roberts has done a phenomenal job leading our women's basketball program over the past nine seasons, and I'm thrilled to be able to extend her contract for an additional three seasons," said Mark Harlan, Director of Athletics. "She has continued to produce championship-level results with three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, and energized our fan base and the community. As we transition into the Big 12 Conference she has her program poised to attract the best student-athletes in recruiting and compete for championships and NCAA tournament berths."
Roberts, the 2022-23 Pac-12 Coach of the Year, will enter her 10th season with the Utes in 2024-25, holding an overall record of 162-115. She has 383 career wins in 23 seasons as a head coach.
"I am incredibly grateful and humbled for the opportunity to continue coaching here at the University of Utah," Roberts said. "My family and I love the Utah community and I can't imagine leading another program. Thank you to Mark Harlan and Charmelle Green for their trust and belief in what we're continuing to build in our women's basketball program. When I took this job nine years ago, my vision was to create a nationally relevant program, build an incredible home court advantage with the amazing fans of Salt Lake City, and take us to heights we had not achieved before. While we have achieved so much, the job is not finished. I'm as motivated as ever to continue climbing and cut down more nets. It's a great day to be a Ute!"
During the 2023-24 season, she led the Utes to a 23-win season, eclipsing the 20-win mark for the third year in a row. The Utes advanced to the NCAA Tournament and picked up their third consecutive opening-round victory, advancing to the second round for the most consecutive NCAA Tournament first-round wins in program history.
Utah was the second highest-scoring team in the Pac-12 last season, averaging 77.7 points per game, which is the fourth-highest figure in school history and the highest since 2021-22. Utah also led the Pac-12 in three-pointers made per game (4th NCAA; school-record 348), assists per game (6th NCAA; 19.5) and field goal percentage (12th NCAA; 47.6%).
Ten new Utes have joined the 1,000-point club during Roberts' tenure, including Alissa Pili who did it in just 48 games as a Ute and Megan Huff who did it in just two seasons. She also has watched five school records fall, including three consecutive team single-season three-point records, and has coached multiple athletes to top-10 all-time rankings in program and Pac-12 history. The Utes broke the school record for three-pointers made in 2018-19 (239), 2019-20 (253), 2021-22 (312) and 2023-24 (348).
In her nine years in Salt Lake City, the Utes have appeared in the postseason six times and have had six seasons with 18 or more wins, including four 20-win seasons. The Utes won 27 games in 2022-23 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, which marked the furthest advancement for Utah since 2006, and just the third Sweet 16 in school history. She led the Utes to two consecutive seasons being ranked in the AP Top 25 including the highest ranking in school history at No. 3 in 2022-23.
The 2022-23 season was monumental in program history as Roberts was named the first Pac-12 Coach of the Year for Utah after she led Utah to a share of its first Pac-12 regular season title. The Utes finished that campaign with a record of 27-5, marking the second-most wins in a season in program history. Under the guidance of Roberts, Alissa Pili was named Pac-12 Player of the Year, the first player in Utah history to earn the honor. In 2021-22 Gianna Kneepkens was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, just the second time a Utah player has claimed the award. Roberts collected her 100th win at Utah on Jan. 14, 2021, with an 89-48 victory over UC Riverside.
During her time at Utah, the Utes have had two All-Americans in Alissa Pili and Gianna Kneepkens, as well as, 28 All-Pac-12 selections and 30 Pac-12 All-Academic selections, as well as Utah's first player of the year award in 2019 after producing a Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. The Utes earned their second Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honor in 2022.
Roberts will enter her 23rd season as a head coach in 2024-25. Prior to her nine seasons at Utah she spent nine seasons at Pacific and four years at Chico State. In her career, she has helped 47 total athletes to all-conference selections as a head coach.
While at Pacific, she was a two-time conference coach of the year and led the Tigers to postseason appearances in each of her last four seasons. She rebuilt a program that had won just 11 games combined in the two seasons before she took over and ended her career there with 25 All-Big West selections.
In her first stint as a head coach, Roberts took over the program at Chico State, where she compiled an 86-31 overall record, earning WBCA West Region Coach of the Year in 2004-05 after leading the Wildcats to the NCAA Division II Final Four.
Roberts, a native of Redding, Calif., began her coaching career as an assistant at her alma mater, Seattle Pacific University, from 1997 to 2001. She graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 1997.
Follow the Utes!
Fans can follow on social media (Twitter: @UtahWBB | Instagram: @UtahWBB | Facebook: Facebook.com/UtahWBB).
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