In college basketball, the stories that stick are often about coaches who completely turn a program around. Lindy La Rocque of UNLV is one of those stories. She took a Lady Rebels team that hadn’t reached the NCAA Tournament in 20 years and transformed it into a consistent national contender. What was once a program defined by droughts is now a symbol of growth and resilience, a testament to her vision and leadership.

But when a coach overachieves, bigger programs inevitably come calling. UNLV, however, wasn’t about to let Lindy La Rocque slip away. According to X user Raoul, the Lady Rebels secured their standout coach with a new contract, locking her in through the 2029-30 season and ensuring the program’s stability for years to come.

“Coach La Roque is a proven winner and transcendent leader who has developed the UNLV Lady Rebels into an elite program nationally and a fan favorite here in Las Vegas, while empowering countless student-athletes to reach their potential on and off the court,” interim president Chris Heavey announced Tuesday.

“Coach La Roque is one of UNLV’s most veteran and winningest coaches, and I am thrilled to continue our partnership with her as she continues to build on the tangible momentum of our women’s basketball program.”

When the former Stanford assistant first took over, UNLV was far from its glory days, having suffered through 10 losing seasons in 14 years. But under Lindy La Rocque’s leadership, everything changed. The Lady Rebels have now strung together five straight winning seasons, including four consecutive 20-win campaigns — their longest such streak since the golden era between 1982 and 1991.

In just her second year in charge, La Rocque led UNLV to a remarkable 26-7 record and the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 20 years. That was only the beginning. The following season, the Lady Rebels made history with their first-ever 30-win campaign, finishing 31-3 and cracking the AP Top 25 for the first time since 1994. The Las Vegas native has earned every bit of that new contract! After putting pen to paper, La Rocque opened up about what it meant to her.

The Las Vegas native etched her name in history, becoming the first head coach in both Mountain West and UNLV history to win Coach of the Year honors three times within her first five seasons. Under her watch, the Lady Rebels have won four straight regular-season titles, three consecutive Mountain West tournament crowns, and earned four postseason berths, all while boasting an impressive 128-30 record.

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“This extension is a reflection of the standard set by our players, coaches and all of the support staff that touch our program on a daily basis. I’m proud of the championships we’ve brought to UNLV and eager to go for many more! We’re appreciative of the opportunity to continue to push this program to the highest level of women’s college basketball,” the 35-year-old said after signing her new deal.

The next big step for UNLV’s ever-growing program would be to get past the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Despite their dominance in the Mountain West, the Lady Rebels have fallen short on the national stage, losing to Arizona in 2022, Michigan in 2023, and Creighton in 2024. With the foundation now firmly in place and La Rocque locked in long-term, it’ll be fascinating to see how she guides this program to that elusive next level.

Lindy La Rocque will face new challenges, but she is undeterred

The Mountain West Conference is set for a major shakeup in 2026, with realignment affecting all its sports leagues. Now, when a program is performing as well as the Lady Rebels have been, change can feel a bit unsettling. Still, La Rocque seemed to recognize that the realignment would bring both challenges and opportunities.

Coaches have long told players to focus only on what they can control. But lately, they have had to apply that advice to themselves. College sports are in uncharted territory. The rules that once defined athletics with clear boundaries have been upended, replaced by a fluid, ever-changing system.

Take the old transfer rule. Athletes had to sit out a year if they switched schools, meant to curb free agency. That’s gone. Now, thanks to the transfer portal, players could, in theory, compete for multiple programs in successive seasons. The rules around compensation have changed just as dramatically. Paying athletes, or letting them profit from their own likeness, was once forbidden and strictly penalized. Today, it’s legal, opening doors for players to negotiate deals as they please.

These seismic shifts have reshaped college sports in just a few years. For coaches used to tradition and stability, the change has been overwhelming, so much so that some legends, including Nick Saban and Mike Krzyzewski, have stepped away rather than adapt.

However, with all the changes, La Rocque is making sure she doesn’t go backward.

“I’ve told a lot of people that my personal opinion of how the new model is working and where things are going doesn’t really matter,” La Rocque said recently. “This is what’s happening, and you either have to figure it out, adapt, and make it part of your strategy or you probably need to find another line of work. Because one thing we’ve learned throughout history is that we never go backward.” 

She even sent a message to her players. When asked whether winning solves everything, she did not beat around the bush. “

You would think so! And, for us, that’s the part we’ve tried to control. Whether it’s player retention or building the fan base, we want people around our program who value winning — on the court and in society. The reality is not everyone shares that same mindset. So there will be players who [prioritize] something else, and that’s OK. It just gives us an opportunity to find other young women who do value what we value,” she said.