'UTEP has never left my heart' says returning head coach Keitha Adams
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — It's officially, official again. Keitha Adams will be leading UTEP's women's basketball team into next season. The university reintroduced Adams to Miner nation again on Wednesday afternoon.
"We walked down the tunnel and walked out in the middle of the floor and seeing that bright orange," said Adams. "That's the that's home that's the greatest place and it just it feels it's magical in there in so many memories," she said.
Adams returns to El Paso looking to add to her record as the all-time winningest coach following six seasons at Wichita State.
There was an opportunity that presented itself at Wichita State, which was 40 minutes from my hometown. So for me to get to go home and be near friends and family and take on a new challenge. That's why I did that," said Adams. "So it's really a circle of life. My story, I left my home to come here. Then I left here to go back home and now I've left there to come back home.
In attendance at her reintroduction, were members of last season's UTEP team, former players including WNBA player Kayla Thornton, and various coaches across other Miner sports.
And the key for this offseason for Adams, ensuring that a majority of the 20-win group from a year ago stays, while adding more to their roster for next season.
"I'm excited I think there's a really good group here that we want to keep together and bring back and then we'll add some good pieces for the addition for the future. And we can have a really fun season next year and build off of what they did this year," said Adams.
Adams led the Miners to three regular-season Conference USA titles and one tournament title in 2012.
"She has competed for and won championships at every stop that she's ever coached at," said UTEP Athletics Director Jim Senter. "But even more so when she said, Jim, we're going to do it again, we can get back to doing that at UTEP. So that's really special. "
The conference will look different than when she left it in 2017, with four new members joining the conference by 2024.
See Wednesday's full press conference below:
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