Cheryl Reeve Named WNBA Executive of the Year

The Minnesota Lynx leader earned the honor for the third time after receiving votes on 13 of 14 ballots.

Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Basketball

Cheryl Reeve Named WNBA Executive of the Year

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Minnesota Lynx executive Cheryl Reeve has been awarded the WNBA Executive of the Year award for the third time in her career. She secured the honor after appearing on 13 of 14 eligible ballots cast by a panel of league executives.

Why it matters

The recognition follows a strong regular season for the Lynx, who finished with a 33-11 record under Reeve's leadership. Reeve also earned the 2026 WNBA Coach of the Year award this season.

Reeve secured her third Executive of the Year award, outperforming Dan Padover and Ohemaa Nyanin who finished second and third respectively. The voting panel included one representative executive from each of the 15 WNBA teams.

The players

Cheryl Reeve

She serves as the executive for the Minnesota Lynx and has now won the WNBA Executive of the Year award three times.

Minnesota Lynx

This professional basketball team competes in the Western Conference of the WNBA and finished the 2026 regular season with a 33-11 record.

Dan Padover

He is a WNBA executive who finished second in the voting for the league's 2026 Executive of the Year award.

Ohemaa Nyanin

She is a WNBA executive who placed third in the voting for the 2026 Executive of the Year award.

Olivia Miles

She was named the 2026 WNBA Rookie of the Year following her performance during the season.

The details

The voting process required one executive from every WNBA team to participate, with Reeve emerging as the clear winner. While the Lynx maintained a successful 33-11 regular-season record, the team was swept by the New York Liberty during the first round of the playoffs.

2017: Curt Miller won both Executive and Coach awards.
2019: Cheryl Reeve won her first Executive of the Year award.
2024: Reeve won both Coach and Executive of the Year awards.
September 28, 2026: Olivia Miles was named WNBA Rookie of the Year.
October 12, 2026: Cheryl Reeve won the 2026 Executive of the Year award.

Season Trajectory

Reeve becoming a multi-time winner of both major individual honors reflects a shift toward rewarding front-office architects who also drive on-court success. This positioning bolsters the Minnesota Lynx as a perennial contender despite their recent early playoff exit.

The Minnesota Lynx 33-11 regular-season record establishes a high baseline for the franchise's roster construction moving into the offseason. Fans should expect the current front-office leadership to remain intact as they build on this high winning percentage.

The takeaway

Reeve has solidified her status as a top executive by earning this award three times in her career. Her success demonstrates the value of maintaining consistent leadership across both coaching and management roles.