UW Hires Rice Coach to Right Husky Women's Team

Tina Langley has been entrusted with reinvigorating a University of Washington women's basketball program that's been in a serious funk for four years since making Final Four and Sweet 16 appearances in consecutive seasons.

On Monday, the school announced the hiring of Langley, who comes to Seattle after six seasons at Rice, where she revitalized that program and recently won the WNIT with a 23-4 team.

An Alabama native, she replaces Jody Wynn, who was fired after those four seasons in which she failed to register a winning record, finishing 38-75 overall.

Now it's Langley's turn.

“This is an elite institution that offers an unbelievable experience both academically and athletically and I’m humbled to have the opportunity to compete in the best conference in women’s basketball," she said in a statement.

Langley compiled a 126-61 record at Rice, which plays in Conference USA. Her best season came in 2018-19 in which the Owls finished 28-4 and she was named as the league's coach of the year.

Before that, she was an assistant for Maryland for seven seasons. She played collegiately at West Alabama.

“We are thrilled to bring someone in of Tina’s caliber to lead our young women,” UW athletic director Jennifer Cohen said. “Throughout the search process, Tina stood out as the ideal leader for this program."

Langley will be formally introduced during a virtual press conference on Wednesday.

The UW women's program advanced to the 2016 Final Four led by All-American Kelsey Plum and directed by coach Mike Neighbors, giving the Huskies their greatest success.

Once those two left, with Plum turning to the WNBA and Neighbors returning his native Arkansas to coach, the UW women have floundered.

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