What Utah’s new women’s basketball coach said about task of taking over for Lynne Roberts in-season

The new face of the Utah women’s basketball program is a familiar one.
It’s really not a surprise.
Earlier this week, Gavin Petersen was named the successor to Lynne Roberts, after she accepted the head coaching position of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.
The promotion makes sense — he coached with Roberts the past 10 years at Utah, including the past five as associate head coach.
Petersen also was an assistant for two years at Pacific before the two headed to Salt Lake City in 2015.
“I’m extremely proud of what we’ve built together here at Utah,” Petersen said during his introductory press conference Friday at the school’s basketball facility. “Her guidance and leadership has prepared me for this moment.”
While the timing may be odd, given that the college and WNBA seasons don’t sync up — Utah is four games into its 2024-25 campaign — Utah athletic director Mark Harlan said he and deputy athletic director Charmelle Green extended the head coaching offer to Petersen in short order, with no interim tag.
Harlan said Roberts informed the university of her new position last weekend. Utah played Monday night, beating McNeese by 68 points, then came Tuesday’s surprise announcement to the public.
“I always believe that (with) any program, we need to be thinking about moments like this. I always felt that Gavin would be the next head coach when Lynn decided to do whatever — step aside or pursue,” Harlan told reporters after the press conference, when asked about the timing of the hire.
“So it already was in Charmelle and myself’s minds to do that. When Lynn informed me that she was going to accept the offer — she was terrific, she was very transparent on the whole process — which allowed me to think, too, and Charmelle as well. It was, although quick, it was always a strategic thought that I had.”
It’s safe to say that Petersen’s promotion has been well-received — team members, coaching staff and boosters were among the group gathered Friday to give a hearty congratulations to the new head coach.
The turnaround process from Tuesday’s announcement to his first game as head coach is swift — the Utes host Saint Joseph’s on Friday night (7 p.m. MST) at the Huntsman Center.
His message for the team, on the quick turnaround to Friday’s game? “Come out and spit nails. That is it.”
When junior guard Gianna Kneepkens took the mic and asked the final question of the press conference — asking him what about this group of girls makes him excited to take over as head coach — Petersen showed his first sign of emotion.
“I do think this group has been resilient, and it’s not just over the last few days, it’s been just over the last few years,” he said, while taking a moment to collect his emotions.
“I don’t think anything’s been given to them, and same with me, so we get it.”
Petersen expressed appreciation for how the team has embraced him during this transition phase that’s come with plenty of emotion.
“They’ve shown me over the last couple of days, and not through words, just through actions that they have the confidence in me, and that’s been pretty darn cool,” he said.
The identity of the program that Roberts and Petersen have helped build at Utah won’t change — Petersen said he isn’t going to “rebuild” Utah basketball or the brand it’s become.
The Utes have played in the NCAA Tournament each of the past three years, making the Sweet 16 two seasons ago — in that same season, Roberts was named the Pac-12 coach of the year. Utah’s program, under Roberts and with Petersen by her side, has developed into one of the college game’s most efficient offenses.
Part of that process of keeping on the same trajectory that the program has been on includes the future — there have already been discussions with the members of Utah’s most recent recruiting class as well, Petersen said.
On Nov. 13, the Utes announced a three-member class that includes five-star guard prospect Leonna “La” Sneed, four-star guard Avery Hjelmstad and small forward Ella Todd. That class is ranked No. 13 nationally by Jr. All-Star Girls Basketball.
“Our focal point moving forward for the foreseeable future, this season was our players and our family. Part of that is the recruiting class that we’ve signed. So we did touch base with them. We made sure that they heard from me,” Petersen said.
“… Basically our message to our recruits is that you guys know me, I recruited you or had a hand in recruiting you. You have a bunch of teammates waiting for you and believe in you, and we want to keep this thing going in the right direction. So we just made sure that they knew where we were. We knew where we made sure that they knew their place in our program moving forward, which is a big part, and we want them to be used.”
Given the unique circumstances and timing, Petersen said that outside of him sliding into the head coaching position, there won’t be other changes or responsibility shifts immediately to the coaching staff. It’s a staff includes assistants Jordan MacIntyre, Morgan Bailey and Dasia Young, who was playing for the Utes last season.
“I know who they are. I know their qualities. I know what type of people, what type of coach, what type of leaders, what time, what type of role models they are to our players,” he said of the coaching staff.
“I’m excited again to continue to work with them as we move forward. Now, yes, there is a void. We will work through that hopefully in the next few weeks, but there’s no rush to that right now. Our focus, again, is our players, and what better people to do that than people who already know them.”
Roberts, in her introductory Sparks press conference Thursday, shared why it was difficult for her to leave a Utah program where the bar has been raised.
“As a competitor, the chance to coach the best in the world — that’s what I want,” she said. “And as hard as it is, as it was and it still is to leave the program there at Utah and the families and the relationships — that was really hard.
“But sports is like that sometimes. And we just felt for our family and for my — you know, I am competitive to a fault. … To be in this league at a time when the W is, there feels like there’s a tipping point, to where it’s just at a different level of opportunity. And that’s why I made the jump.”
Harlan and Petersen both indicated it won’t be the last time Roberts will be seen around the Hill — the plan is for her to still be active in the U of U community.
“I love that, and I’ve told that to Lynne, too. She and Gavin will work out the rhythm of that, but the way it’s set up, it seems to me that their plan is to be back and forth from Los Angeles and so, I think we’ll be seeing a lot of her, which just, I know I would appreciate,” Harlan said. “And I think that’s just the classy demeanor she had the whole time, the way she handled this exit, her relationship with the head coach, with me and others around here, just makes perfect sense to have her around.”
It’s important not to underscore what Roberts has done for the Utah program — when she and Petersen first arrived in Salt Lake City, the Utes were coming off back-to-back losing seasons.
Petersen recalled how they led Utah to an 18-15 season in that first year, and while it took some time, the efforts of building the program have blossomed in the last few years.
It’s that kind of competitiveness and player-development talent that Roberts has shown that makes both Harlan and Petersen believe she’ll find success in the WNBA.
“She’s really smart, she’s another person that owns a room when she walks in, just like Gavin. I’ve seen her just take in freshmen and turn them into superstars. I saw what she did with Alissa Pili,” Harlan said of Roberts. “I mean, I’ve seen all of this. The way she communicates is consistent, and that’s why I think she’s got all the skills to make it at that level. I’m not surprised. I give the Sparks credit for doing their work to figure out what we know, that she’s a game changer. I’m very, very proud of her, and it will be fun to follow her progress.”
Numerous times, Petersen expressed his appreciation that Roberts allowed him to have an active, vocal role in the Utah program. He’s excited to see how her next chapter — at the pro level — works out.
“In athletics, everybody strives to achieve the best. You know, I was an associate coach for a long time. I strived to be a head coach. I envisioned that,” he said. “I didn’t think it would unfold the way it has, but I’ve had aspirations. So, I’m excited for her to be a coach and be a leader of young women at the highest level, like what she’s done for our program with the basketball side of things and her leadership. She’s left us in a great place, so I’m excited to watch her do her thing there in LA.
“… It’s just so cool to kind of chase after her dreams and her goals, and we’re going to be supporting her along the way.”
For him, he now has the chance to guide a program into its next phase as well.
Harlan made sure to emphasize to his newest head coach that he needs to be himself, and find ways that work for him to continue the upward trajectory of the program.
“What I told him, and I think he kind of mentioned it, I also want him to be himself, right? I think where coaches sometimes can run astray, or, frankly, anybody in a leadership position (is) if they try to be somebody else. I think you learn from people that you’ve been around and were mentored, but you got to be yourself,” Harlan said.
“And I’ve told him that, Charmelle has told him that — be you. I think him being himself will only improve the culture, right? Because the student-athletes will see that authenticity in him.”