Arizona hires former great Adia Barnes as head coach

Per reports and confirmed by Swish Appeal, Adia Barnes will be the next head coach at Arizona. Arizona has been look for a new head coach since the beginning of March when athletic director Greg Byrne released Niya Butts of her head coaching duties. It is fitting for Byrne to have hired  Barnes as she is an alum of the university.

Barnes returns to Arizona after being an assistant at the University of Washington. She most recently helped Mike Neighbors get the team to the program's first Final Four appearance this season.  Barnes has been at the University of Washington for the past four seasons.

In her first year with the Huskies, Barnes worked with the back court, handled academic compliance, and scouting and recruiting efforts. In 2014 she was promoted to recruiting coordinator managing budget, compliance and planning all in relation of recruiting, plus the continued development of players.

During Barnes first season with the Huskies she helped turn around a five year losing record and posted their first 20-win campaign in a decade.

Barnes is well known in the Seattle area for her Adia Barnes Foundation, which mentors under-served youth and conducts charitable events and community service since 2002.

With cooperation with the Huskies marketing department, the foundation also promotes tickets sales. Also in the community she has been a commentator for the Seattle Storm radio broadcast for the past six years, as well as a broadcaster for NBA TV and Fox Sports Northwest.

Barnes is returning to Arizona as she was a three-time All-Conference selection and Pac-10 (now Pac-12) in the 1997-1998 season. She is the Wildcats leading scorer in their history and sixth in conference for all-time scoring leader.

Barnes played professionally for 12 years including the WNBA where she won a championship with the Seattle Storm (2004) and overseas in Ukraine, Israel, Turkey, Russia and Italy.