Todd Starkey joined the Arizona Women’s Basketball staff as an associate head coach in 2026, bringing more than 25 years of collegiate coaching experience at the Division I and Division II levels.
Starkey spent the previous 10 seasons as the head coach at Kent State University, where he became the second-winningest coach in program history with a 179–127 record. During his tenure, the Golden Flashes advanced to the NCAA Tournament, made four Postseason WNIT appearances and captured two Mid-American Conference East Division titles.
Kent State recorded four 20-win seasons under Starkey’s leadership, including 21 victories in each of three consecutive seasons from 2021–24. He was named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year in 2017 after guiding one of the biggest turnarounds in NCAA Division I women’s basketball during his first season with the program. Despite being picked to finish last in the conference preseason poll, the Golden Flashes finished 19–13 overall and won the MAC East Division title with a 13–5 conference record.
Starkey developed numerous All-MAC performers during his time in Kent, including Katie Shumate, the program’s only four-time All-MAC selection. His teams also became known for their perimeter scoring, breaking the program’s single-season three-point record three times during his tenure.
Kent State recorded several notable victories under Starkey’s leadership, including wins over nationally ranked opponents and multiple Power Five programs. The Golden Flashes defeated No. 19 UCLA during the 2021 Gulf Coast Showcase and earned a victory over Penn State during the same event before advancing to the WNIT.
In addition to success on the court, Starkey’s programs emphasized academic achievement. Kent State earned spots on the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Top 25 Honor Roll multiple times during his tenure, including a No. 16 national ranking during the 2020–21 season.
Prior to Kent State, Starkey spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Indiana University Bloomington from 2014–16. During his second season, he helped guide the Hoosiers to a historic year that included the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory since 1983.
Starkey previously served as the head women’s basketball coach at Lenoir-Rhyne University from 2005–14, where he became the winningest coach in program history with a 165–95 record. He led the Bears to three conference championships, four NCAA Division II Tournament appearances and multiple No. 1 seeds in the Southeast Region. Starkey was named the WBCA Division II National Coach of the Year in 2009 after leading Lenoir-Rhyne to a 27–5 season and a conference regular-season and tournament championship.
Before becoming a head coach, Starkey served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Lenoir-Rhyne from 2003–05, helping the Bears capture the 2004 South Atlantic Conference regular-season championship and earn an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Starkey began his coaching career at Montreat College, his alma mater, where he spent five seasons as an assistant men’s basketball coach from 1998–2003 and helped guide the program to an NAIA National Tournament appearance.
A respected leader within the profession, Starkey has served on numerous national committees, including the WBCA Executive Board, NCAA Division II Regional Ranking Committee and multiple national award committees.
Starkey earned a bachelor’s degree in outdoor education from Montreat College. He grew up in Canfield, Ohio, and began his collegiate career as a basketball and tennis student-athlete at Mars Hill College.
