On Wednesday morning it was announced that the Arizona women’s basketball head coach Adia Barnes had been named to the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year Watch List. 

After coaching her team to the National Championship game last season, Barnes has led the team to an 18-4 record. Even after losing Aari McDonald, the team has continued to find a way to win. 

This season the Wildcats have made program history by being ranked in the top-10 for thirteen straight weeks and counting. The team also reached its highest ranking ever when they were ranked No. 4 from Dec. 12 to Jan. 11. 

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Her coaching has also led her players to be nominated for awards. Cate Reese has been named to the Naismith Trophy Women’s Player of the Year Midseason Team. Sam Thomas also has been named a finalist for the Senior CLASS award. 

During the 2020 season, Barnes was named a Naismith Coach of the Year Finalist. She also was named a Naismith Coach of the Year Semifinalist and a WBCA Coach of the Year Finalist last season. 

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