Well deserved. Atlanta Dream Head Coach Nicki Collen was named the AP Coach of the Year, the Associated Press announced Tuesday.
The first-year head coach led the Dream to a 23-11 regular-season record. Her team clinched the No. 2 seed in the WNBA Playoffs and earned a double-bye into the Semifinals. Collen was previously honored for her coaching prowess when she earned the WNBA Coach of the Month for both the month of July and August. Collen’s defensive minded coaching style led the Dream to multiple franchise records, including an eight-game winning streak (July 8-22), 23 regular season wins, and 10 road victories.
“I am incredibly humbled to be named AP Coach of the Year,” Head Coach Nicki Collen said. “When I accepted the position in Atlanta I knew how important it was to hire a great coaching staff, and I am lucky to work daily alongside Mike (Petersen), Darius (Taylor), and Zach (Cooper). I inherited a group of players who were hungry for success and have been easy to coach and I thank them for their belief in a rookie head coach.”
Atlanta will enjoy a double-bye in to the Semifinals and will start play with Game 1 Sunday, August 26 at 3 p.m. ET inside McCamish Pavilion. The game will be televised on ESPN2. Tickets for the Atlanta Dream’s 2018 Playoff home games can be purchased here or by calling 877-977-7729.
The Atlanta Dream plays its home games in McCamish Pavilion on the Georgia Tech campus. Atlanta has qualified for the playoffs eight times, winning conference titles in 2013, 2011 and 2010.
Congrats to Coach Nicki Collen on this whole accomplishment.
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