NEW ORLEANS -- Fearless and focused, Lindsay Whalen led Minnesota to new heights this year, breaking records along the way and closing out her stellar career on college basketball's biggest stage -- the Final Four.

Whalen and her teammates lost 67-58 to two-time defending champion Connecticut on Sunday, falling short in their bid to win the school's first NCAA title.

But what a ride it has been for Golden Gopher fans who saw their team in the Final Four for the first time.

Hundreds of Minnesota fans helped pack the 18,000-seat New Orleans arena to root on the gutsy guard from Hutchinson, Minn. She scored 11 points and had seven assists in her final game. Whalen broke the Minnesota scoring record this season and finished her career with 2,285 points, more than any man or woman in a Golden Gopher uniform.

"It's been a great run," Whalen said. "I've truly enjoyed everything that we have had here at Minnesota and everything we have done, especially this year."

Seeded seventh in the NCAA tournament, Minnesota knocked off No. 1 seeded Duke and No. 2 seeded Kansas to reach New Orleans. It was very different from Whalen's first year when Minnesota won just eight games. She's also had three coaches and her current coach, Pam Borton, appreciates everything Whalen has done.

"Her contributions have been unbelievable. She has kind of put the program on the map," Borton said. "She's been a ring leader in keeping the team together with all the changes."

Whalen broke her hand late in the season and missed seven games. Gritty as ever, she came back strong from the injury, never missing a beat. She gave opponents fits, right down to the last game. The Huskies used a series of defenders to try and neutralize Whalen on Sunday.

"We knew that was something we had to do because once she gets going and gets in control of the game, then you're in trouble," UConn guard Ann Strother said. "That was the main goal to keep the ball out of her hands as much as we could."

Her 8-20 freshman season long behind her, Whalen leaves with a record of 78-43 and the program on solid ground.

"We can definitely take pride in the fact that we hopefully left our mark here and have established Minnesota as a winning tradition and a great women's basketball program," Whalen said.