Head Coach
Adia Barnes | Women's Basketball Head Coach
Adia Barnes was named Head Women’s Basketball Coach at SMU on April 5, 2025.
Boasting an impressive resume, Barnes arrived on the Hilltop after spending nine seasons in Tucson as the head coach of the Arizona women’s basketball team. During that time, she compiled a record of 169-114, reaching the post-season six consecutive seasons and collecting five consecutive 21-plus win seasons.
The 2021 WBCA of the Year Finalist and Naismith Coach of the Year Semifinalist led the Wildcats to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and finished the 2020-21 season as the national runner-up.
Barnes is one of four coaches to lead their alma mater to the title game and one of seven to lead their alma mater to a Final Four. She was the youngest coach since 2014 to make the Final Four and the first coach since 2016 to make the Final Four in their first five seasons as a head coach.
The 2024-25 season marked Arizona’s inaugural year in the Big 12 Conference, where the Wildcats finished 10-8 in league play and 19-14 overall. The 19 wins extended her streak to seven consecutive seasons with at least 18 victories and included a marquee win over No. 16 West Virginia.
The 2023-24 season saw the Wildcats earn their fourth-straight NCAA Tournament bid. Arizona concluded the season with 18 wins that included victories over No. 15 Utah and No. 3 Stanford. Barnes coached both Helena Pueyo and Esmery Martinez who earned All-Pac 12 and Pac-12 All-Defensive honors and were both selected in the following WNBA Draft.
In 2022-23, Barnes led the program to another NCAA Tournament berth and its fifth 20-win season in as many years. Her squad recorded five top-25 wins and remained ranked in the AP Top 25 for the entire season.
The 2021-22 season was another banner season that saw Barnes eclipse four consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins. Arizona hosted and participated in the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
In her fifth season, Barnes was a finalist for the WBCA Coach of the Year and was a semifinalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year. Heading into the NCAA Tournament, she became the 11th coach to play and coach in the NCAA Tournament at their alma mater. Once the Wildcats reached the National Championship game, she became the fourth coach to lead her alma mater to the title game.
During the NCAA Tournament, Arizona defeated UConn in the Final Four, which was the first time in school history that Arizona knocked off both the No. 1 team in the nation and a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
During the shortened 2020-21 season, Arizona managed to win 20 games for the third consecutive year. The Wildcats finished the season with a 24-7 record and Barnes was named a finalist for the WBCA and Naismith Coach of the Year Award. It also marked her second season in a row, eclipsing 24 total wins.
Barnes also has international experience as she was an assistant coach on the 2021 gold-winning USA AmericaCup team.
Prior to returning to her alma mater as head coach in April of 2016, Barnes spent four seasons at Washington. After three seasons on staff, Barnes was promoted to recruiting coordinator, where she handled all aspects of recruiting including budget, compliance and planning, in addition to her role in player development.
A three-time all-conference selection and '98 graduate of Arizona, Barnes was voted USBWA first-team All-American and Pac-10 player of the year in 1997-98. Her 2,237 career points currently rank ninth on the Pac-12’s all-time scoring list. Following her collegiate career, Barnes played professionally for 12 seasons in the WNBA and overseas. She won a WNBA Championship with the Seattle Storm in 2004, was named to the Storm’s All-Decade Team, and also played for Cleveland, Minnesota and Sacramento. Her overseas career included stops in the Ukraine, Israel, Turkey, Russia and Italy.
In addition to her playing and coaching career, Barnes has been extremely active in the community through the Adia Barnes Foundation, which mentors under-served youth and conducts charitable events and community service projects such as school supply drives. Barnes spent 10 years as the Seattle Storm’s TV analyst for NBA TV and FOX Sports Northwest and also spent time as the color commentator for Storm radio broadcasts.
A native of San Diego, Calif., Barnes is married to Salvo Coppa, who coached for 14 seasons prior to arriving at Arizona, including 10 professionally in Italy and with three separate national teams. She is also the mother of one son, Matteo and one daughter, Capri.
Boasting an impressive resume, Barnes arrived on the Hilltop after spending nine seasons in Tucson as the head coach of the Arizona women’s basketball team. During that time, she compiled a record of 169-114, reaching the post-season six consecutive seasons and collecting five consecutive 21-plus win seasons.
The 2021 WBCA of the Year Finalist and Naismith Coach of the Year Semifinalist led the Wildcats to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and finished the 2020-21 season as the national runner-up.
Barnes is one of four coaches to lead their alma mater to the title game and one of seven to lead their alma mater to a Final Four. She was the youngest coach since 2014 to make the Final Four and the first coach since 2016 to make the Final Four in their first five seasons as a head coach.
The 2024-25 season marked Arizona’s inaugural year in the Big 12 Conference, where the Wildcats finished 10-8 in league play and 19-14 overall. The 19 wins extended her streak to seven consecutive seasons with at least 18 victories and included a marquee win over No. 16 West Virginia.
The 2023-24 season saw the Wildcats earn their fourth-straight NCAA Tournament bid. Arizona concluded the season with 18 wins that included victories over No. 15 Utah and No. 3 Stanford. Barnes coached both Helena Pueyo and Esmery Martinez who earned All-Pac 12 and Pac-12 All-Defensive honors and were both selected in the following WNBA Draft.
In 2022-23, Barnes led the program to another NCAA Tournament berth and its fifth 20-win season in as many years. Her squad recorded five top-25 wins and remained ranked in the AP Top 25 for the entire season.
The 2021-22 season was another banner season that saw Barnes eclipse four consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins. Arizona hosted and participated in the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
In her fifth season, Barnes was a finalist for the WBCA Coach of the Year and was a semifinalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year. Heading into the NCAA Tournament, she became the 11th coach to play and coach in the NCAA Tournament at their alma mater. Once the Wildcats reached the National Championship game, she became the fourth coach to lead her alma mater to the title game.
During the NCAA Tournament, Arizona defeated UConn in the Final Four, which was the first time in school history that Arizona knocked off both the No. 1 team in the nation and a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
During the shortened 2020-21 season, Arizona managed to win 20 games for the third consecutive year. The Wildcats finished the season with a 24-7 record and Barnes was named a finalist for the WBCA and Naismith Coach of the Year Award. It also marked her second season in a row, eclipsing 24 total wins.
Barnes also has international experience as she was an assistant coach on the 2021 gold-winning USA AmericaCup team.
Prior to returning to her alma mater as head coach in April of 2016, Barnes spent four seasons at Washington. After three seasons on staff, Barnes was promoted to recruiting coordinator, where she handled all aspects of recruiting including budget, compliance and planning, in addition to her role in player development.
A three-time all-conference selection and '98 graduate of Arizona, Barnes was voted USBWA first-team All-American and Pac-10 player of the year in 1997-98. Her 2,237 career points currently rank ninth on the Pac-12’s all-time scoring list. Following her collegiate career, Barnes played professionally for 12 seasons in the WNBA and overseas. She won a WNBA Championship with the Seattle Storm in 2004, was named to the Storm’s All-Decade Team, and also played for Cleveland, Minnesota and Sacramento. Her overseas career included stops in the Ukraine, Israel, Turkey, Russia and Italy.
In addition to her playing and coaching career, Barnes has been extremely active in the community through the Adia Barnes Foundation, which mentors under-served youth and conducts charitable events and community service projects such as school supply drives. Barnes spent 10 years as the Seattle Storm’s TV analyst for NBA TV and FOX Sports Northwest and also spent time as the color commentator for Storm radio broadcasts.
A native of San Diego, Calif., Barnes is married to Salvo Coppa, who coached for 14 seasons prior to arriving at Arizona, including 10 professionally in Italy and with three separate national teams. She is also the mother of one son, Matteo and one daughter, Capri.