UCI Finds a Women’s Coach on Campus

IRVINE — Mark Adams, an assistant coach for the UC Irvine women’s basketball team the last three seasons, was hired Friday as the team’s head coach.

Adams, 36, replaces Colleen Matsuhara, who was fired at the end of last season. The Anteaters finished 16-13 and lost to UC Santa Barbara in the Big West Conference tournament championship game.

“This is a great opportunity,” Adams said. “There are only about 300 [NCAA Division I] jobs and I have one of them. I have to take advantage of it.

“I firmly believe I can get us to the next level.”

Adams has helped take the Anteaters there before. He was an assistant in 1994-95, when the Anteaters reached the NCAA tournament. They lost to Stanford in the first round.

He was also instrumental in recruiting many of the players who played key roles in Irvine’s success last season. The Anteaters started two freshmen and used two others as reserves.

That familiarity certainly helped Adams during the interview process. Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said they received 70 applications, which the search committee narrowed to five.

Adams, Chapman Coach Mary Hegarty, Cal State Dominguez Hills Coach Van Girard, former USC Coach Fred Williams and Arizona associate head coach Traci Waites were interviewed. Williams withdrew his name Wednesday.

“We did an extensive search,” Guerrero said. “As we got into the process, it became clear that the best person for the job, in essence, was 20 yards from my office.”

Anteater players reacted much the same. They said they had been pulling for Adams.

“I’m really excited about this,” junior forward Leticia Oseguera said. “I’ve worked with him for three years and he has pushed me to do better. He’s given me a lot of confidence in myself.”

Said freshman guard Megan Stafford: “This is perfect. We don’t have a new coach who is unfamiliar with us. He doesn’t have to learn what we’re like off the court and what we’re like on the court.”

Adams said knowing the players will make moving into the job easier, at least at first. He also will not have to deal with recruiting new players immediately, as Irvine has already filled the two scholarships it had to offer.

“I’ve known some of these players three years,” said Adams, a graduate of Western Michigan. “They know me and I know them. Starting a job is never easy, but this does make it a little easier.”

This is the second head coaching job for Adams, who had a 46-29 record at Hardin-Simmons from 1990-93. He spent one year as an assistant at Baylor before coming to Irvine.

Adams said he would retain Jeff Dow as an assistant coach.