says, “We will work hard.” She adds, “I can’t
wait to coach my first game as a Shocker.”
On March 29, Keitha Adams was announced as head women’s basketball coach at Wichita State, and she was introduced to the Shocker community during an April 3 press conference at Charles Koch Arena.
“We’re excited to welcome Keitha Adams to Wichita State,” says director of athletics Darron Boatright. “I admire her experience in various levels of basketball and believe it has prepared her for this opportunity. Keitha has worked extremely hard and has earned everything that coaching has provided to her.”
Adams, an Oxford, Kan., native and Southwestern College graduate who earned a degree in health, PE and recreation in 1989, is leaving the University of Texas at El Paso after 16 years as head coach to take over at WSU. She has also coached at Independence Community College, Winfield High School and Belle Plaine High School, all in Kansas.
“Today is a very special day in my life,” Adams says. “I’m extremely excited about being the head women’s basketball coach at Wichita State. I’d like to thank President John Bardo, Darron Boatright and Linda Hargrove for this opportunity. I’m a small town Kansas girl who grew up watching the Shockers. I’m honored to now be a part of this great university.”
Adams is responsible for all four UTEP postseason bids (NCAA in 2012 and 2008; WNIT 2016 and 2014) and all four Conference USA championships (2016 regular season, 2012 regular season and conference tournament and 2008 regular season) in school history.
UTEP is one of 10 programs nationally (Baylor, Chattanooga, FGCU, James Madison, Maryland, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Tennessee and UConn) to have won 29 or more games at least three times prior to the 2016-17 season. All six Miner 20 plus win seasons were during Adams’ tenure, including a school-record tying 29 in 2015-16.
“To the community and Shocker Nation, my door is open,” Adams says. “We want you to feel connected to our program. I talked to our players about that today, and guess what? We need you. To former Shocker players, we want you to feel connected to us. We will honor and respect our past players and our past coaches that have come before us. We need you, and we thank you for all that you’ve done.”
She is looking forward to practicing, recruiting and talking basketball with men’s coach Gregg Marshall.
“As we move forward, let the work begin,” Adams says. “We’ll build this program the right way, one day, one second at a time. The challenge is in front of us. We will be a team, we will work hard, and ladies, we will rebound and play defense. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen in time. I can’t wait for our first practice, and I can’t wait to coach my first game as a Shocker.”
