Arizona State hires GCU’s Molly Miller to lead women’s basketball program

Arizona State will tab GCU head coach Molly Miller to lead its women’s basketball program, replacing three-year coach Natasha Adair, it announced on Saturday.

Miller just finished her fifth season with Grand Canyon, in which the program earned its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance since joining Division 1 in 2013-14 behind a 32-2 season.

GCU fell in the first round on Friday at Baylor, 73-60, ending a 30-game win streak, finishing the season at 32-3.

Grand Canyon athletic director Jamie Boggs on Saturday released a statement saying the ‘Lopes would announce Miller’s successor on Monday.

She had reported interest from Missouri and Arkansas for their openings, but both were filled before GCU had played its first-round game at Baylor, now a regular opponent in the Big 12 for the coach.

The Sun Devils parted ways with Adair on March 8. She was 29-62 overall and 7-47 in conference over her tenure.

“We appreciate coach Natasha Adair’s leadership and professionalism in guiding Sun Devil women’s basketball over the past three seasons,” athletic director Graham Rossini said at the time in a statement. “She and her staff built meaningful connections throughout the Valley, and we respect how she represented ASU during her time in Tempe.”

Molly Miller’s track record of success stands out

Wherever Miller has gone, wins have followed in the 38-year-old’s 11-year head coaching career.

She got her start at her alma mater, Division 2 Drury, where she coached the Panthers to a 180-17 (.914) record over six seasons, including a run of three straight Sweet 16s followed by a Final Four before her final iteration was the top overall seed in the COVID-canceled 2020 tournament.

Miller then moved onto Grand Canyon University in 2020-21, where she has since notched four of the program’s five 20-win seasons in Division 1 by going 117-38 (.752) in Phoenix. She led the ‘Lopes to three conference finals appearances, getting over the hump to the Big Dance in her final season.

.@GaydosKTAR & @TheBruceStJames are hopping on the Grand Canyon University bandwagon!@GCU_WBB Head Coach Molly Miller joined the show to talk about her team capturing its first Western Athletic Conference Tournament title! pic.twitter.com/XcIT9MwuYd

— Outspoken with Bruce & Gaydos on KTAR News 92.3 (@OutspokenKTAR) March 18, 2025

Her career winning percentage is among the best in all of college coaching, sitting at 297-55 (.841) overall.

It’s clear to see her GCU teams’ identity in this iteration, which hangs its hat on disruptive defense that turns opponents over in transition and half-court.

Offensively, the ‘Lopes were led by WAC Player of the Year Trinity San Antonio, who played for the Puerto Rican National Team in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Sharpshooter Alyssa Durazo-Frescas led the country in made 3s (124) in Miller’s system with the second-highest percentage nationwide (46.97%).

Related

Molly Miller confident as GCU women's team continues to make school historyHow did former Arizona Wildcats, ASU Sun Devils and GCU ‘Lopes perform in NBA Summer League?Thunder trade former ASU G Lu Dort to Hawks in deal that includes former No. 1 pickBig 12 partnership with Monster Energy includes brand patches on football, basketball jerseysHow is Randy Bennett shaping his 1st ASU men’s basketball squad in summer practices?Mavericks reportedly hiring Michigan’s Dusty May as head coach fresh off national title