A fresh face may be just what the women’s basketball team needs following two consecutive losing seasons that led to the firing of former coach Anthony Levrets. After hiring only Utah alumni and promoting within their system since the ‘70s, the Utes changed things up by bringing in Lynne Roberts, from her position as head coach at University of the Pacific. Roberts brings new blood and a new perspective to the program as head coach.
“[I have a] new energy, a new vision and a new direction,” Roberts said.
Before coaching, Roberts played at the collegiate level for Seattle Pacific University, and during her junior year a coach approached her about becoming a coach. Although Roberts had not thought about coaching much before, this was her “aha moment.” After graduating college, Roberts went on to pursue a master’s degree in athletic administration.
It was all coaching after that.
Roberts firmly believes that while it’s not necessary to play at the collegiate level to understand the game, it certainly doesn’t hurt. At times, it gives her a special insight into what her team is going through, having been there herself.
“At this level, players get a lot demanded of them,” Roberts said. “A lot of time and energy and commitment. Sometimes it helps to have been through that and understand some of the challenges they have.”
It’s true that being a student-athlete at a major university has changed since Roberts suited up back in the day. Now there is more media attention and a larger time commitment. But even though Roberts can’t relate fully to her athletes, she believes one thing has remained the same — the benefits of being on a team — and she believes she can instill that in the program from day one.
“I think the rewards of it, being part of a team, none of that’s changed,” Roberts said.
Senior point guard Danielle Rodriguez can already tell that Roberts communicates with the players at a more effective level since being named head coach back in April.
“She knows what we have to deal with, with classes and workouts,” Rodriguez said. “She knows what it’s like to be a college athlete, so she understands what it’s like to be in our shoes.”
Roberts loves her job, but it’s no walk in the park. She has been coaching for 16 years, 13 of them as a head coach, and moving up can be difficult. However, aside from some of the hardships she’s endured, it’s been a rewarding career.
“It’s a process,” Roberts said. “It’s a profession that’s super competitive. These jobs are hard to get, so you have to work your tail off. It’s been a fun career, but I don’t feel like I’m done. I’ve won a lot of games, I’ve lost some. Just like any profession, you learn as you go and you get experience.”
Most of those losses came in the early years when Roberts took over Pacific, who only won 11 games the two years prior to her takeover. She steadily improved that record year after year, showing that she knows how to handle a team that has undergone a couple of shaky years.
Utah went 9-21 last season and 12-19 the year before that, and while this is not an ideal start, Roberts isn’t all that concerned, especially considering where she had to start with her previous job.
“This is a great program,” Roberts said. “The last couple years have been challenging for the program, but it’s not that far off. My last school I was at, when I got the job, was in really bad shape, so it took a while. That was hard; this is not in that bad of shape. We have really good players, good people, and we’ll be alright.”
One thing Utah hopes to achieve is becoming a household name across the country when it comes to women’s basketball. Roberts said she wants the Utes to be discussed, and her team is not going to shy away from the spotlight.
“The main goal our staff has is we want Utah women’s basketball to be nationally relevant,” Roberts said. “It’s going to take time, but I don’t think an eternity.”
All the players, members of the coaching staff and even the athletics department are all buying into this idea, and this is part of what brought Roberts to Utah. Before deciding to come to Utah, she had been in discussions with other Pac-12 schools in years prior to 2015, but it was the people at the U and the timing that won her over. Whether it be from her coworkers, her boss or even her neighbors, she found something here she didn’t see elsewhere, and her players have been more than what she hoped for.
“They’ve been awesome,” Roberts said. “So many times you take over a program, and maybe the culture’s not very good. But it’s good here. They’ve done what we’ve asked them to do.”
Although the team is only allowed two hours of practice with Roberts each week, Rodriguez enjoys the fast-paced offense she is teaching the team and admires the enthusiasm she brings to the court.
“The way she carries herself, I really admire that about her,” Rodriguez said. “Right from the get-go she just believed that we can be a great team and that we’re great people, and every day in practice she always comes in ready to help us get better. She’s got a sense of humor, and not everything’s always so serious.”
Rodriguez has complete faith in Roberts and thinks she will put them in position to win games, and this is exactly what Roberts hopes to accomplish.
“I feel like I’m where I should be,” Roberts said.
@kbrenneisen