Arizona State hires rising star to lead women's basketball program
Arizona State athletic director Graham Rossini looked across town to find his new women's basketball head coach.
And she's a star.
Rossini and the Sun Devils officially announced the hiring of Molly Miller on Saturday. Miller has been the head coach at Grand Canyon University since 2020, compiling a record of 117-38 (.760). GCU is located about 16 miles from Arizona State's campus.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Coach Molly Miller to the Sun Devil family. Molly’s track record of excellence — both on and off the court — aligns seamlessly with our vision for ASU women’s basketball,” Arizona State athletics director, Graham Rossini said in a statement. “She has built winning cultures at every level, from her days as a high school state champion and valedictorian to becoming one of the most exciting and sought-after coaches in Division I basketball.”
Miller, 38, went 32-3 at Grand Canyon this season and guided the Lopes to their first NCAA Tournament berth in school history. GCU lost to Baylor 73-60 in the first round on Friday.
Miller is one of the hottest young coaches in the country and has been linked to several high-major jobs. She's also a social media phenom, recently going viral for showing off her dance moves after Grand Canyon won the WAC Tournament and clinched a March Madness berth. This clip has over 3.5 million views on X:
Dancin’ our way into March Madness 💃 #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/8AIeVAYOYX
— GCU Women's Basketball (@GCU_WBB) March 16, 2025
Miller takes over for Natasha Adair, who was fired just over two weeks ago after a third consecutive losing season. The Sun Devils finished 10-22 and 3-15 in their first season in the Big 12. Adair compiled an overall record of 29-62, finishing either last or second-to-last in conference play in each of her three seasons.
Miller started her coaching career at Division II Drury University (Missouri) in 2012. She took over as head coach in 2014 and went 180-117 in six seasons.
“I am incredibly excited and grateful to be named the head women's basketball coach at Arizona State University,” Miller said in a statement. “I want to express my sincere appreciation to President Dr. Michael Crow and athletics director Graham Rossini for their belief and trust in me. Their vision for the program's future aligns perfectly with my own, and I am eager to work alongside them to build a championship-caliber team both on and off the court.
"The comprehensive resources, clear commitment to women's basketball, and compelling vision for the program's future at ASU truly made this opportunity stand out. I can’t wait to start working with our dedicated student-athletes and staff to build a successful and thriving program that the Sun Devil community can be proud of."
More Arizona State News
-66e6aeb5014b4c4eeac84ca997f034c9.jpg "Ben Sherman")
Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his 27-year journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. A basketball junkie, March Madness is his favorite time of the year.