By Nick Neumayer
Medill Reports
Chicago is a special place for Minnesota Lynx forward Nia Coffey.
Coffey graduated from Northwestern in 2017 as one of the most prolific players in program history and still makes time to connect with the Wildcats whenever she’s in town.
“I love Chicago,” Coffey said after the Lynx’s 79-58 win over the Chicago Sky on May 29. “Northwestern was a great time for me, so it’s cool to stay connected.”
With the Wildcats in the stands to support her, Coffey had her best offensive showing of the season, finishing with a season-high 20 points and a career-high six three-pointers.
For Maggie Lyon, Coffey’s former Northwestern teammate and now an assistant coach, Coffey’s dedication to the Wildcats paired with her success at the WNBA level serves as a strong recruiting point each year.
“It’s everything,” Lyon said. “With every recruit, we talk about Veronica (Burton), and Nia and Lindsey Pulliam, all these people who were able to play in this professional level. Just showing the right kind of person who wants to get a good education, but is also a baller, that you can do both.”
Lyon recalled Coffey’s humility, with the forward often shying away from interviews in favor of uplifting her teammates. Nearly 10 years later, Coffey is still quick to praise them over herself.
“We’re playing really well as a team,” Coffey said. “We shared the ball and we understand each other’s shots, when we’re going to take that shot, what’s a good shot for our team. We’re just building off that chemistry that we have.”
Coffey’s performance drew the praise of Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, who commended her ability to lead the team in their May 29 victory.
“I thought she was probably the most focused player we had on that court today, understanding what was there,” Reeve said. “I heard her telling players what we needed them to be doing, so her leadership was really good.”
Coffey is currently averaging 9.2 points per game, the highest mark of her 10-year WNBA career to date. She also leads the Lynx with 12 blocks, making her one of the premier shot defenders in the WNBA.
“Some of the shots she blocks are seemingly almost halfway there,” Reeve said. “She’s got this elevation and gets a piece of three-point shooters’ shots in ways that I haven’t seen on our team.”
In her return to Chicago, Coffey helped the Lynx improve to 6-2, with the team now in sole possession of the WNBA’s top record.
Nick Neumayer is a sports specialization graduate student at Medill.