Sources say UTEP’s Keitha Adams interviewed at Wichita State
A Kansan with a history of success coaching NCAA Division I basketball is a candidate for Wichita State’s women’s basketball job.
Keitha Adams, coach at Texas-El Paso since 2001, interviewed at Wichita State, according to two sources.
Adams is from Oxford, where the school retired her jersey in 1986. She attended Southwestern College and coached five seasons at Independence Community College before moving to UTEP.
UTEP went 8-23 in 2016-17 after losing four starters from the 2016 team that went 29-5 and won the Conference USA title.
She is 284-209 in 16 seasons at UTEP with NCAA Tournament appearances in 2008 and 2012 and WNIT appearances in 2014 and 2016. The Miners defeated Western Kentucky in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. They finished second in the 2014 WNIT and advanced to the quarterfinals in 2016.
Adams directed UTEP to six 20-win seasons and three conference titles in the past 11 seasons. The Miners went 29-4 in 2011-12 to start a streak of three straight 20-win seasons that ended with a 12-16 record in 2015.
She earned Coach of the Year honors in CUSA in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
Before Adams’ arrival, UTEP totaled five winning seasons in its 25 seasons with a record number of wins of 18.
Earlier this month, Pittsburg State women’s basketball coach Lane Lord interviewed, according to several sources. While it is likely other coaches interviewed, those are the only names to emerge in media reports.
Lord, who coached at Heights High, started at NCAA Division II Pitt State in 2007, is 208-95 in 10 seasons. He coached the Gorillas to the Elite Eight in 2012 and 2016.
Wichita State is replacing Jody Adams-Birch, who left the position in late January. She was replaced by interim coach Linda Hargrove, who is working with athletic director Darron Boatright on the hire. Keitha Adams and Adams-Birch are not related.
Paul Suellentrop: 316-269-6760, @paulsuellentrop
This story was originally published March 27, 2017 at 9:48 AM with the headline "Sources say UTEP’s Keitha Adams interviewed at Wichita State."