NEW YORK, July 9, 2009 -- The WNBA today announced that the head coaches for the 2009 WNBA All-Star Game will be Dan Hughes of the San Antonio Silver Stars and Lin Dunn of the Indiana Fever.
Hughes will lead the Western Conference All-Star squad and Dunn will be at the helm of the Eastern Conference team. This will be the first time either coach has earned the honor.
Under WNBA guidelines, the coach of the previous season's conference champion serves as the All-Star coach for that conference, provided that the coach remains in the same position. Hughes earned the honor by virtue of the Silver Stars’ 2008 Western Conference championship.
Since Bill Laimbeer, head coach of the 2008 Eastern Conference champion Detroit Shock, stepped down from his post in June, a new coach was selected using previously established guidelines. The Eastern Conference head coach is being selected based on the club with the best winning percentage through games on July 15. With a current mark of 8-2, Dunn has already secured the honor.
This method was last used when John Whisenant, head coach and general manager of the 2006 Western Conference champion Sacramento Monarchs, relinquished his coaching role the following year to focus on his front office duties.
The 2009 WNBA All-Star Game will be played on Saturday, July 25 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. and will be televised nationally on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Starting lineups for the game are determined by fan participation via the 2009 WNBA All-Star Balloting presented by T-Mobile. The results of the balloting, which ran from June 14 through July 7 in WNBA arenas and on WNBA.com, will be announced on July 14.
In Play! magazine
