It has been a long and busy off season for the Arizona women’s basketball team that all started with seeing former head coach and player Adia Barnes leave the program that she helped build for SMU after contract disagreements that prevented an extension between the two parties.
In the nine seasons under Barnes, the Wildcats had their most successful period in program history with five 20-plus win seasons, four NCAA Tournament appearances and a trip to the 2021 National Title game where UA fell 54-53 to Stanford.
“Our model centers around identifying head coaches who prioritize success in coaching, recruiting and the development of high-character student-athletes,” said Desiree Reed-Francois. “Coach Burke is a proven program builder and rising star in collegiate women’s basketball with a track record of transformational success. She is familiar with the Wildcats and the tight-knit community we have in Tucson. Our search committee did a wonderful job of selecting the right leader as we are proud to welcome Coach Burke, Savannah and Banks to the University of Arizona.”
Now, Arizona has hired Becky Burke to lead the program after having a successful career at Buffalo as the head coach. In her career, Burke is 174-92 all-time and has won everywhere she has been…