Lindsay Whalen will miss Gophers game at Rutgers after emergency appendectomy

Lindsay Whalen previewed the 2021-22 Gophers women's basketball season on Tuesday after the team's first official practice.

The University of Minnesota women’s basketball team travels to Rutgers Thursday night to resume Big Ten play, but the Gophers will be without head coach Lindsay Whalen.

Team officials say Whalen had to have emergency surgery Tuesday night for an appendectomy. Officials say Whalen is recovering, and won’t travel with the Gophers against the Scarlet Knights.

Gophers’ assistant Carly Thibault-DuDonis will step in as acting head coach at Rutgers.

Minnesota (7-7, 0-2) is scheduled to host Maryland on Sunday. Team officials will update Whalen’s status before that game. The Gophers last played on Dec. 23, a 77-63 loss at Drake. They were scheduled to host Northwestern on New Year’s Eve, but that game was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns with the Wildcats.