WNBA Champion coach, Wildcat alum, and Tucson native Julie Hairgrove enters her first season as Arizona assistant coach and director of player development.
Hairgrove spent 18 seasons as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Mercury from 2005 to 2022, working under five different head coaches and helping guide the team to WNBA titles in 2007, 2009, and 2014. She handled player development, scouting, draft preparation, scheduling, and male practice squad coordination. Hairgrove also coached in the WNBA All-Star Game in both 2018 and 2024.
During her WNBA tenure, Hairgrove worked with some of the league's top players, including Diana Taurasi, Penny Taylor, Cappie Pondexter, Brittney Griner, Skylar Diggins, and Tina Charles.
Before joining the professional ranks, she spent two seasons at Loyola Marymount (2003–2005), helping the program win the West Coast Conference Championship and earn an NCAA Tournament berth in 2004.
A standout at Catalina Foothills High School, Hairgrove graduated as the all-time leading scorer in Arizona girls' basketball history with 2,913 points. She led her team to a state championship in 1997 and was inducted into the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
Hairgrove played at Arizona from 1998–2003 under head coach Joan Bonvicini, serving as team captain for two seasons while helping lead the Wildcats to three NCAA Tournament appearances. Her return to Arizona as an assistant coach is not only a full-circle moment but a continuation of Wildcat legacy, as she is also the granddaughter of legendary Arizona men's basketball coach Lute Olson.
