SMU names Adia Barnes new women’s basketball coach after 9 seasons at her alma mater Arizona

DALLAS (AP) — Adia Barnes was named SMU’s new women’s basketball coach Saturday after nine seasons at Arizona, where she led the Wildcats to the national championship game four years ago.

Barnes takes over an SMU program that is coming off a 10-20 record in its first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Mustangs were 2-16 in league games.

The hiring came a week after SMU fired Toyelle Wilson, who was 55-64 overall in four seasons. SMU’s only NCAA Tournament appearance was in 2007-08.

Arizona was 169-114 under Barnes and made four consecutive NCAA women’s tournaments from 2021-24, including a 54-53 loss to Stanford in the 2021 national title game. The Wildcats were 19-14 in their first Big 12 season, going 10-8 in conference play.

After scoring 2,237 points at Arizona from 1994-98, Barnes played professionally for 12 seasons in the WNBA and overseas. She was on Seattle’s WNBA championship team in 2004. She also served as an assistant coach at Washington.

“Having seen the commitment and alignment on the Hilltop, I believe we can compete on the national stage and for ACC championships,” Barnes said. “My family and I can’t wait to get to Dallas and I can’t wait to get to work.”

Arizona in a statement thanked Barnes for her nine seasons and “her profound impact” on the Wildcats program.

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