Head Coach

Don Zierden
Head Coach

Don Zierden is serving in his first season as the Lynx Head Coach. Zierden was introduced as the franchise's fifth head coach on December 13, 2006. The Minneapolis native has been coaching basketball for more than two decades.

Prior to joining the Lynx, Zierden spent time with the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA. Other coaching stops included the Pittsburgh Piranhas and La Crosse Catbirds and Bobcats of the CBA, the University of Tulsa and De La Salle High School.

The Minneapolis native's coaching career began at De La Salle High School, his alma mater. He became one of two rookie high school coaches in Minnesota history to take their team to a state basketball title (Class A State Championship) in 1985. His next stop would be at the University of Tulsa, where he coached from 1986 to 1988.

Zierden moved closer to home when he joined the La Crosse Catbirds of the CBA. He coached with the Catbirds from 1990 through 1994 and won the 1992 CBA Championship. A head coaching opportunity with the Pittsburgh Piranhas followed and in 1995 he took the Piranhas to the CBA Finals, just the second rookie head coach to do so. He returned to La Crosse the following year to take over the head coaching duties for the newly formed La Crosse Bobcats.

The next step in Zierden's career was a move to the NBA. He served five years as an assistant coach under Flip Saunders with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He served as video coordinator in 1999-00 and was promoted to assistant coach/director of player development on July 11, 2000. Zierden joined Saunders with the Detroit Pistons in the 2005-06 season before accepting his current position with the Lynx.

Zierden resides in Minnesota with his wife, Anne, and two children, Isaiah and Rachel.