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Erin Grant was hired as an assistant coach at Arizona on April 21, 2021 after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at USC.
The 2022-23 season saw Grant help guide the Wildcats squad to its 10th NCAA Tournament berth in program history, and the team advanced to at least the second round for the third season in a row. Arizona ranked third in the Pac-12 in field goal percentage, hitting 43.8% of its shots, and fourth in scoring offensive with an average of 74.1 points per game. Four Wildcats earned Pac-12 postseason honors, including Shaina Pellington who was named Pac-12 Co-Most Improved Player of the Year. Pellington and Cate Reese were both placed on the All-Pac-12 Team, and Esmery Martinez was Honorable Mention All-Pac-12.
In her first season in Tucson, Grant was on staff for another banner season for the Wildcats. Arizona eclipsed the 20-win mark for a fourth consecutive season for the first time in program history while hosting and playing in the NCAA Tournament in McKale Center for the first time since 1998. The program continued its defensive prowess rankings second in the Pac-12 in scoring defense, third in defensive rebounding, second in steals and first in turnover margin.
In her two years at USC, Grant coached two young stars in the Pac-12 in Endiya Rogers and Alissa Pili. As freshmen in the 2019-20 season, Rogers and Pili were the team’s two top scorers averaging a combined 29 points per game while Pili was named the 2020 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. As sophomores this past season, they combined to average 26 points per game as Rogers was named All-Pac-12 and Pili was honorable mention All-Pac-12.
“Erin is a fantastic addition to our staff,” Barnes said. “Her player development stands out to me, she is a great recruiter, and overall a very talented coach. Not only was Erin an All-American and a professional, she is one of the best players to come out of the state of Texas, and her experiences on and off the court will be incredibly valuable for our program. Who she is and what she stands for directly aligns with our family at Arizona, and I can’t wait to get started with her because the future is extremely bright.”
Grant also was a major part in securing one of the best 2021 recruiting classes in the nation as she helped bring in two McDonald’s All-Americans and the No. 7 class in the country.
“I am honored to be joining coach Barnes and the championship culture of the Wildcat family,” Grant said. “My immense respect for Adia as a person, a coach and a mother drew me to Tucson. I will be dedicated to the continued efforts to recruit student-athletes, win championships and graduate young women.”
Grant had an impressive playing career as a standout point guard, earning All-America honors while at Texas Tech before being selected 39th in the 2006 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm. She also got early international experience as a member of the 2005 USA Basketball World University Games team, which won gold in Turkey. While playing at Texas Tech, the Arlington native was a two-time All-Big 12 First Team selection and was the 2003 Big 12 co-Freshman of the Year. She also was a three-time All-Academic First Team honoree.
As a pro, Grant was named MVP as she helped Stockholm 08 win a Swedish championship, and she played the 2006 season in the WNBA with the Houston Comets. After concluding her professional playing career, Grant was an assistant at UT Arlington for four seasons (2008-11), helping the program reach the 2009 WNIT. Grant went on to serve as an assistant at Memphis for four seasons (2013-16) in addition to spending three seasons as an assistant at New Mexico (2012, 2017-18) before landing back at her alma mater, Texas Tech as recruiting coordinator.
In 2018, Grant was inducted into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame for her prestigious playing career in Lubbock. She set the Texas Tech program record for career assists (844) and scored 1,108 points while leading the Lady Raiders to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2005.
She is an active member of Coaches 4 Change, a group of collegiate basketball coaches around the nation who are dedicated to social justice issues through focus on education, engagement, empowerment and evolution within their respective teams, campuses and communities.
Grant is joining a program that played in their first ever Final Four as the Wildcats advanced all the way to the National Championship. Not only was it Arizona’s first Final Four, it was the first time in program history that the Wildcats made it past the Sweet 16.
