Hutchinson gymnasium named after alumn Lindsay Whalen

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Before she became one of the faces of Minnesota sports, Lindsey Whalen was a high schooler turning heads.

The community held a special honor for Whalen Tuesday night at the fieldhouse in which she grew up playing. Now, her legacy is a permanent part of the school.

Whalen is a star not just among the Gophers and Lynx, but also at her alma mater of Hutchinson High School.

"It's really humbling and overwhelming, but it's pretty cool," Whalen said.

Back at her old stomping grounds, Lindsay Whalen was feeling the love.

Whalen's legendary basketball career began at the high school, and when the new gymnasium needed a namesake, it was an easy choice. Now, every time someone walks into the gym at Hutchinson, they'll be walking into Whalen Gymnasium.

"There's been so many really great athletes and great students that have come through Hutchinson, so to kind of be represented by everybody is pretty cool," she said.

Whalen spent a lot of time at Hutchinson honing her craft and, little did she know, her hard work would pay off with this type of honor.

"That's not something that I think ever crosses your mind when you're going to practice and going to summer workouts," she said.

Whalen hopes her story and her dedication to the game can inspire the next generation of athletes who want their names to live on forever.