SMU reportedly hires Arizona's Adia Barnes as next women's basketball coach
SMU is likely to hire Arizona’s Adia Barnes as its next head women’s basketball coach, sources told On3’s Talia Goodman on Friday. It’s the first major hire for new athletic director Damon Evans, who cut ties with Toyelle Wilson last weekend.
Evans announced the move on Saturday afternoon.
“We are happy to welcome Adia to the Mustang family,” said Evans. “She has had great success at Arizona, leading her teams to post-season appearances and 20-win seasons while her teams also set records in the classroom. She has landed stellar recruiting classes and has been heavily involved in the Tucson community, showing her talent for building programs. The future is bright for SMU Women’s Basketball. We welcome Adia, her husband Salvo, her son, Matteo, and her daughter, Capri, to Dallas and look forward to the next chapter in Mustang basketball history.”
“I’m truly excited for the opportunity to be the next head coach at SMU,” said Barnes. “Having seen the commitment and alignment on the Hilltop, I believe we can compete on the national stage and for ACC championships. I want to thank Damon Evans, President Hartzell, President Turner, David Miller, Dawn Rogers, the SMU Board of Trustees, and all the others on the SMU team for giving me the opportunity to lead this program. My family and I can’t wait to get to Dallas and I can’t wait to get to work. Go Mustangs!”
Barnes, a former WNBA player and standout for the Arizona Wildcats during her collegiate career, has been the head coach of her alma mater since 2016. Under her leadership, Arizona women’s basketball rose to national prominence, highlighted by an impressive run to the NCAA championship game in 2021, where the Wildcats narrowly lost to Stanford 54-53.
During her tenure, Barnes compiled a 169-114 overall record and a 78-81 conference record, navigating the program through the competitive Pac-12 and, most recently, the transition to the Big 12.
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This season, the Wildcats finished 10-8 in league play and 19-14 overall. The 19 wins extended head coach’s streak to seven consecutive seasons with at least 18 victories and included a marquee win over No. 16 West Virginia.
Barnes led Arizona to an appearance in the 2021 National Championship, falling to Stanford in the title game. She was named a 2021 Naismith Coach of the Year Semifinalist that year.
Now, Barnes is charged with leading SMU back to relevancy. Wilson’s team this season had some embarrassing moments, including a 32-point blown lead to Pitt where the Mustangs didn’t score in the 3rd quarter.
“With the investments the University and our donors have made in support of SMU Athletics, we have shown we belong in the ACC and expect to compete for championships,” Evans said when he announced the change. “With all that our campus and community have to offer – the value of an SMU degree, our prime location in Dallas, our top-tier facilities, the NIL opportunities for our student-athletes and more – we believe we are well-positioned to stand alongside the nation’s best programs.”
