Arizona State University has officially parted ways with women's basketball coach Natasha Adair after three tumultuous seasons. The announcement came on Saturday, March 8, 2025, after the Sun Devils concluded their season with a disappointing 10-22 record, including just three wins against 15 losses within the Big 12 Conference.
The team’s last game occurred on March 6, 2025, where they faced Iowa State, suffering a narrow defeat of 96-88 during the second round of the Big 12 Tournament. This marked the end of Adair's tenure, which began on March 28, 2022, when she took over from the legendary Charli Turner Thorne, who retired as the program's all-time winningest coach.
During her three years leading the Sun Devils, Adair struggled to match the expectations set by her predecessor. Over her time at Arizona State, she posted an overall record of 29 wins against 62 losses, with only seven conference victories out of 54 games played across both the Pac-12 and Big 12.
Graham Rossini, the athletics director at Arizona State, acknowledged the challenges Adair faced during her coaching years. "We appreciate coach Natasha Adair's leadership and professionalism in guiding Sun Devil women's basketball over the past three seasons," Rossini stated. "She and her staff built meaningful connections throughout the Valley, and we respect how she represented ASU during her time in Tempe. A national search for the next leader of our program will begin immediately."
Despite the struggles on the scoreboard, Adair’s leadership was significant during turbulent times, especially during the 2023 season when the team faced numerous injury challenges. The team was forced to forfeit two games during the 2022-23 season due to having only five available players. One notable loss was leading scorer Tyi Skinner, who missed the entire 2023-24 season with an ACL injury, making the already tough job of rebuilding all the more difficult.
Adair's record wasn’t without highlights, as her team did achieve notable success this season, setting a school record for free throw shooting at .758, breaking the previous mark of .751 set back in the 2006-07 season. This positive statistic could be seen as a bright spot amid the overall difficulties the program experienced.
The firing marks yet another chapter of rebuilding for Arizona State women's basketball, which has not reached the NCAA tournament since 2019—a notable absence for a program with such rich history and tradition. The university hopes the upcoming national search for Adair's successor will lead to the appointment of someone who can restore the program to its previous heights.
Looking sentimentally at her time at ASU, Adair faced enormous pressure to lead following Turner Thorne, who was celebrated not only for her wins but for her ability to cultivate talent and build competitive teams consistently. Transitioning from such leadership sets high expectations for any new coach stepping in to lead the program.
The Sun Devils will now look outwards as they initiate this pivotal search for their next head coach, hoping to revitalize the team’s competitive spirit and ambition. With the right leader at the helm, ASU aims to return to NCAA postseason contention as quickly as possible, fans and officials alike are hopeful the future holds brighter prospects for the women's basketball program.