Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Lynne Roberts leaves the University of Utah to coach the LA Sparks.
- Roberts praised Utah but couldn't resist the WNBA opportunity in her home state.
- Gavin Peterson, Roberts' associate coach, is promoted to head coach of Utah's team.
SALT LAKE CITY — Lynne Roberts has coached her last game at the University of Utah.
The women's basketball head coach accepted the head coaching position for the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, the university announced Tuesday. The coaching change is effectively immediately.
She coached her last game at Utah Monday, with her team beating McNeese 118-50.
Roberts said being the coach at Utah was "my absolute joy and honor."
"I was very happy at the U and had no intentions of leaving to go anywhere else. … That said, the opportunity to coach for one of the league's premiere franchises at the highest level in the WNBA, in my home state, was too good to pass up," she said in a statement. "The ownership group and the team's leadership have a vision and a plan in place for storied success, and I am excited about this incredible opportunity and challenge."
Utah athletic director Mark Harlan said Roberts "did an exceptional job elevating our women's basketball program to a championship level, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with her over my six-plus years at Utah.
"She took our program to unbelievable heights, and made an incredible impact as a leader in our athletics department."
Roberts was four games into her 10th season as Utah's coach, where she was coming off her third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance with a veteran-laden roster as it embarked on a new journey in the Big 12.
In her time with the Utes, Roberts had a 165-116 record, with the peak of her tenure coming two seasons ago in a Sweet 16 appearance in which her team took eventually national champion LSU down to the wire in a game Utah was well on its way to winning before the Tigers pulled away late.
Before Utah, Roberts was the head coach at Pacific for nine years (2006-15) and four at Chico State (2002-06).
Thank you, Salt Lake City. pic.twitter.com/dSO0LJIBEp
— lynne roberts (@SparksCoachRob) November 20, 2024
Gavin Peterson, who has served as Roberts' associate head coach, has been named the team's head coach. Peterson has been an assistant at Utah for the last 10 seasons.
"Our focus is on our student-athletes and staff, and I'm thrilled to be able to promote Gavin Petersen to head coach," Harlan said. "Gavin has proven his coaching ability over his lengthy career and his deep relationships with our student-athletes, and he has played an instrumental role in building the culture of our women's basketball program.
"He is absolutely the perfect choice to lead our program, and I'm excited for what this team can achieve this season and beyond under Gavin's leadership."
Roberts said Petersen will do "incredible things" as the head coach of the Utes, while being an "unbelievable coach and person."
"He has passed up several chances in the past to be a head coach elsewhere, but he believes in the University of Utah, its leadership, and what we have built," Roberts said. "He is more than ready to take this program over and I cannot wait to be a huge support for him and be the team's loudest cheerleader in the Huntsman Center."
