RENO, Nev. – University of Nevada head women's basketball coach Amanda Levens was recently named one of the Young Professionals Network's (YPN) 20 under 40 award nominees.
 
The 20 under 40 awards, which began in 2007, recognizes exceptional leaders under the age of 40. Each year a group of 20 talented, accomplished, very involved young leaders are chosen from the nominations received. Levens is one of 40 finalists across the Reno-Tahoe area and the final 20 winners will be announced during an awards ceremony on Nov. 16. The awards celebration will also be a fundraiser for 20 nonprofit organizations. The awards finalists will be actively involved in raising funds for the organizations.
 
Levens, 39, had a great debut season as the Wolf Pack's head coach and has Nevada trending upwards as she enters her second season at the helm. The Pack finished nonconference action, which included a visit from the nation's No. 1 team in UConn, at 7-4, making Levens the first head coach in program history to post a winning nonconference record in their first season. Nevada won its final two games of the regular season, including a 20-point win over intrastate rival and co-regular season champion UNLV, to ride some momentum into the Mountain West Tournament.
 
Prior to the start of the tournament, former student-athlete Teige Zeller earned All-Mountain West honors under Levens' guidance after posting a career season. Entering the tournament as the No. 7 seed, the Wolf Pack earned three consecutive thrilling victories to reach its first Mountain West Championship game and just its second ever conference title game. Nevada knocked off San Diego State in overtime in the opening round, then took down No. 2 UNLV in double overtime and No. 3 Wyoming by four points to square off against No. 1 Boise State in the championship. While the Pack lost to the Broncos on a last second buzzer beater, the tone has been set for the future.
 
Following the conference tournament, the Wolf Pack accepted a bid to the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) to make just its fourth postseason appearance and first since 2011. Nevada won two games during its WBI run, the most wins the program has had in a postseason tournament, to reach the semifinals.
 
Under Levens' direction, Nevada finished the 2017-18 season with 19 wins, tied for the second most in program history and making Levens the winningest first year head coach. In addition to the win total, the conference championship game appearance, and postseason run, the Wolf Pack set multiple team records, including points, rebounds, field goals made and assists. Nevada finished the year in the top five in the Mountain West in scoring offense, 3-point field goal percentage, rebounding margin, assists and field goal percentage, just to name a few.
 
Season and single game tickets for Wolf Pack women's basketball are on sale now. For more information, call (775) 348-PACK or visit NevadaWolfPack.com.