Newly appointed ASU women's basketball head coach Molly Miller was introduced as the head of the program at Papago Golf Club on March 26.
Miller was joined by athletic director Graham Rossini and ASU President Michael Crow for the press conference. Crow addressed the audience before Rossini and Miller spoke.
"My hope is that Coach Miller can restore ASU women's basketball to the highest level of competitiveness possible at a moment when women's basketball is taking off like a rocket," Crow said.
Miller coached at GCU for five seasons and led the Lopes to the first round of the NCAA tournament this year. She agreed to become the Sun Devils' new head coach a day after GCU fell in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
"It's a momentous occasion for Arizona State University," Rossini said. "We're beyond thrilled to welcome a proven and dynamic leader to the Sun Devil family today."
Miller played Division II basketball at Drury University from 2004 to 2008 before coaching her alma mater from 2014 to 2020. She led the Panthers to five NCAA tournaments and built an impressive 180-17 record before receiving the offer to coach at GCU.
"I also want to thank President Mueller and (Vice President of Athletics) Jamie Boggs who hired me at GCU," Miller said. "It was an incredible five years and what a great opportunity for me to grow in the coaching profession."
Miller expressed how excited she is to bring ASU's program back to national prominence. She said she was sold on Rossini's vision for women's basketball at ASU.
"No, seriously, is it season yet?" Miller said. "I mean, I cannot wait. I am humbled, I am honored and I am grateful to be your next women's basketball coach at Arizona State."
Heading into her first season, Miller will most likely have to field a roster without four of the team's top-five scorers from last season. Earlier this month, senior guard Kennedy Fauntleroy and senior guard Jalyn Brown entered the transfer portal, while graduate guard Tyi Skinner intends to do the same, per On3. Graduate center Nevaeh Parkinson will shortly graduate.
Miller said she's already working around the clock to find recruits and rebuild the program. She hit the ground running selling recruits on playing in Tempe as the transfer cycle begins.
"When you see the reception footage outside, I get to recruit you to paradise," Miller said. "It is like an average temperature of 72 and sunny, and it's gorgeous. So you can do both. You can play basketball and you can come to a destination and have some fun."
ASU last made the NCAA tournament in the 2019-20 season under longtime head coach Charli Turner Thorne. Since then, the team struggled under Turner Thorne and former head coach Natasha Adair, who was fired earlier this month. Miller said her goal is to bring ASU back for good.
"I'm going to build this thing on rock, not sand, and we're going to have a really strong foundation of culture, family, faith, friends that's going to lead us," Miller said.
Edited by Henry Smardo, Sophia Braccio and Katrina Michalak.
Reach the reporters at aabdeen3@asu.edu and jcbarron@asu.edu and follow @ayabdeen and @jackcbarron on X.
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Jack is a senior studying sports journalism. This is his fourth semester with The State Press. He has also worked at Radio Sucesos and XPR Sport Experience in Argentina.
Aya is a senior studying sports journalism with a minor in communication. This is her third semester with The State Press. She has also worked at The Next, Cronkite News and Blaze Radio.
