Keitha Adams Position: Head Coach Alma Mater: Southwestern

Under the guidance of Keitha Adams, the UTEP women's basketball program has soared to heights that even the most ardent Miner fan could possibly imagine.

UTEP has evolved into a championship caliber program, and is firmly entrenched on the regional and national landscapes.

The Miners have rolled to back-to-back 20-win seasons- the first such in the 35-year history of the program- including the institution-tying (men's or women's basketball) 28 victories during the historic 2007-08 campaign.

At 50-12 UTEP is one of only 29 squads nationally, and one of a mere 12 non-BCS teams, to have 50 or more victories since 2006. To truly appreciate how impressive it is to have achieved that feat at UTEP, consider that prior to Adams' arrival the highest triumph total for a two-year period is 29. That number was nearly matched by the 2007-08 team alone.

The Miners had a season for the ages last year, with competing at their first NCAA tournament, claiming the program's initial and just the second league title ever by a women's squad at UTEP and finishing an unprecedented 16-0 in Conference USA play among the accomplishments.

Before Adams patrolled the sidelines, the Miners had never won more than 20 games in a campaign, let alone compete in a postseason tournament (no WNIT or NCAA appearances pre Adams). In 2007-08, not only did UTEP achieve both of those feats, but it also made some noise in the "Big Dance" by throttling Western Kentucky, 92-60, in the first round before bowing out to eventual national runner-up Stanford.

UTEP burst onto the national scene, earning placement among the top 25 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll and the Associated Press poll. It climbed as high as 18th, and concluded the campaign ranked by each of the rating systems.

It was a season of streaks, with the Miners winning a school and C-USA record 23 straight games from Dec. 8-March 8. When the run was finally halted in the league championship title game, it stood as the longest active stretch in the country.

Adams was named the C-USA coach of the year and was one of eight finalists for the WBCA's National Coach of the Year award. Jareica Hughes was named the C-USA Player of the Year, becoming the first Miner and just the second sophomore in league history to grab the honor. Natasha Lacy was selected as the league's Newcomer of the Year, and joined Izabela Piekarska on the all-conference second team to afford UTEP a program-best three honorees.

The efforts of the Orange and Blue have not gone unnoticed in the Sun City, as Adams has renewed interest in the once dormant program. The Miners have paced C-USA in attendance on consecutive campaigns, including a school-record average of 3,109 this past year.

That effort placed UTEP 39th nationally. Aiding that figure was a single-season program best five crowds which surpassed the 5,000 barrier, including a school-record 7,255 against SMU on Feb. 28.

UTEP has rewarded the fans in that time frame, posting a sparkling record of 30-2 the past two years at the Don. Overall, UTEP has claimed 24 of its past 25 games in the Sun City. The Miners were 14-0 in El Paso in 2007-08, marking the first unbeaten slate at home in school history.

There was a fitting conclusion to the season, with Lacy and Piekarska becoming the first players in school history to be selected in the WNBA draft. Lacy was tabbed by Detroit in the second round with the 28th overall pick while Piekarska was chosen by Sacramento during the third round at the 43rd overall spot.

The Miners had a terrific 2006-07 campaign, setting then school standards for wins (22) and fewest losses (eight).

There were early indications that the campaign would be special, as the Miners burst out of the gates at 11-1. The momentum carried into conference play, where UTEP -- which was tabbed to finish 10th out of 12 teams in the preseason coaches' poll -- exceeded expectations by winning a then school record-matching 10 league games en route to tying for fourth place. Included among those triumphs were the first three conference tilts, marking the Miners' first 3-0 start in league play.

UTEP racked up a school-standard breaking 16 home victories, which included a then program best 13 consecutive wins at one point. They also took care of business on the road, securing five wins to equal the then second-most in school history.

The Miners turned some heads nationally by receiving votes in the Associate Press top-25 poll for the first time in school history. Helping realize that was UTEP stringing together 10 straight triumphs, also at the time a program first.

The squad was very good at both ends of the court, with UTEP setting school records to that point for assists (510), points scored (2,063) and steals (343) while checking in second for blocked shots (134), three-pointers made (168) and turnovers forced (628).

The Miners paced C-USA in four statistical categories, while ranking second in six others. Nationally, UTEP finished in the top 70 in 10 departments, including ranking 10th in assists per game and 16th in steals per game.

Two of Adams' players received postseason accolades, as Hughes reeled in a bevy of awards from the league office. She was named both the C-USA Freshman and Newcomer of the Year, becoming just the third player in UTEP history to be so honored. Hughes was voted onto the five-member all-league defensive and rookie teams, as well as tabbed to the all conference third team.

Fellow classmate Timika Williams joined Hughes on the league's all-freshman team. Her selection made UTEP the only member institution to have multiple players on the squad.

Adams' team registered 14 wins during the 2005-06 season, the then fifth-highest total in program annals. The squad was once again strong in the Don, racking up nine wins compared to five losses.

Her 2004-05 team was one of the youngest in the conference, with underclassmen accounting for nine of the 14 players. Nonetheless, UTEP earned 12 victories and won nine games at home for the second consecutive season.

In Adams' third year, the Miners had the tallest team in school history and won 16 games, 10 Western Athletic Conference games and finished 32nd in the nation in scoring defense at 58.1 ppg. Additionally, UTEP held a school-record six opponents under 45 points.

In 2002-03, she had a second team All-WAC selection and two players chosen for the WAC All-Newcomer team. The Miners improved on their victory total by seven and set the then school record with 418 assists.

In her first year at UTEP, Adams mentored second team all-league and all-newcomer Kimya Murray.

Adams came to UTEP after several successful years as head and assistant coach at Independence Community College in Independence, Kan.

At Independence C.C., Adams was the head coach for five seasons and guided the Lady Pirates to a 127-37 record, including back-to-back Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference titles in 1999-00 and 2000-01. Her teams also combined for a 35-1 conference record over her final two seasons.

In 2000-01, she paced the Lady Pirates to a 31-2 mark, the conference title and was named the KJCCC Eastern Division Coach of the Year. Her team also led the nation, averaging 94.0 points per game, and she coached the conference's freshman of the year. Independence ended the regular season rated fifth in the NJCAA poll.

During the 1999-2000 season Adams led Independence C.C. to a 28-5 record and her first conference crown. She also took her Lady Pirate squad deep into the Regional Tournament.

In her first three seasons as head coach, Adams' teams won 22, 24 and 22 games respectively and advanced to the Regional Tournament in each of those seasons.

A tireless recruiter, Adams has driven throughout the United States and made several international connections to find her talent. While at Independence, Adams honed her athletes into all-conference, All-American and Academic All-American caliber players. Included in the bunch were 22 all-KJCCC selections and five NJCAA All-Americans.

Adams also had an impressive track record of sending her student-athletes on to play at four-year schools. Fifteen of her former players went on to play NCAA Division I basketball, including two in the SEC, two in the Big 12, one in the ACC, three in the WAC and one in Conference USA. Svetlana Volnaya, who played at Virginia, was chosen in the third round by the Detroit Shock in the 2001 WNBA Draft.

Success on the basketball court is only one part of Adams' coaching philosophy. More importantly, Adams stresses academics and brought an impressive track record in the classroom to UTEP. While at Independence, four of her teams had cumulative grade point averages of 3.20 or better. The 1995-96 team was the NJCAA Academic Team of the Year after posting a 3.59 average. In 1996-97, her team was second in the nation with a team average of 3.29, while her team was fourth in 1997-98 (3.26).

Since coming to UTEP, her players have earned mention to the conference's Academic Honor Roll 29 times. Additionally, the 2006-07 squad finished with a GPA of 3.11.

Adams was an assistant coach at Independence C.C. for two seasons (1994-96) prior to being elevated to head coach. As the Lady Pirates' top assistant and recruiting coordinator, she helped the team fashion a 34-4 mark in 1995-96 and finish as the national runner-up at the NJCAA Tournament, limiting opponents to 57.4 points per game, a school record.

She also served as men's and women's tennis coach from 1994-95 at Independence.

Prior to joining the collegiate ranks, Adams coached basketball, softball, volleyball and track and field at Winfield High School in Winfield, Kan.

She was also an assistant basketball coach at Belle Plaine (Kan.) H.S., from 1987-89.

A native of Oxford, Kan., Adams graduated with a degree in health, physical education and recreation from Southwestern College in 1989.

Adams was Oxford High School's all-time leading scorer and earned all-state honors as a prep. Her jersey was retired in 1986.

Darren Brunson

With a wealth of experience as a coach, athletic administrator and educator, not to mention a standout playing career at the collegiate level, there are few assistant coaches in the country with a better pedigree than Darren Brunson.

In his seventh year on the Miners' coaching staff after coming to UTEP during the spring of 2002, Brunson has played an integral role in helping turn the Miners into a championship caliber program that has drawn notice both regionally and nationally.

He has been highly involved with UTEP's recruiting efforts, particularly in the states of Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio, while also assisting in the day-to-day aspects of the program.

Brunson came to UTEP after 15 years at Independence Community College, where he wore many hats.

From 1991-2001, Brunson served as the director of athletics at Independence. During that span, Brunson took the Independence athletics department to a higher level with innovative fund-raising campaigns.

Brunson first went to Independence in 1987 as the assistant men's basketball coach. In 1989 he took over the women's program and helped rebuild the team into an annual contender for the conference title.

He also took on the assistant director of athletics title during his time as head women^s basketball coach. In addition, he was the men's and women's basketball academic counselor.

During the 1990 season, Brunson was called to active military duty for Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield, where he received the Army Commendation Medal and a Certificate of Achievement.

Brunson taught business courses, served as an academic and career counselor, chaired the physical education division and worked as a residence hall director while at Independence.

A native of Wichita, Kan., Brunson is a 1987 graduate of St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas, with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He later earned his master's in administration from Pittsburg State in 1998.

While at St. Mary's, Brunson was a standout guard on the basketball team. He then served as a student assistant coach at St. Mary's from 1985 to 1987. He was inducted into the St. Mary's Hall of Fame in 2004. Brunson is married to Cynthia and has three sons (Darren, Jr. 20, Darius 10, Deion eight) and a daughter (Deiona, one).

Assistant coach Ewa Laskowska After an outstanding collegiate career, Ewa Laskowska made a seamless transition to the coaching ranks where she is a rising star in her profession.

In her eighth season as an assistant at UTEP, and in her 10 year as part of Keitha Adams' staff, Laskowska has earned the reputation of being an outstanding domestic and international recruiter. In her seven years in the Sun City, she has attracted players rated by the All-Star Girls Report, along with securing commitments from some of the top international talent.

Aiding that process was a term as an assistant coach with the U17 Venezuelan National team in the spring of 2007. Her efforts helped the squad win the South American Championship for the first time in the history of the program.

She has assisted in the recruitment of several players who gained postseason accolades for performances on the court and in the classroom. In addition, nine players coached and recruited by Laskowska are currently playing professionally in Europe.

Laskowska is also involved in assisting with practice planning, on-court coaching, working on scouting reports, skills workouts, game scheduling and academics.

Her efforts have helped turn the Miners into a championship caliber program that has drawn notice both regionally and nationally.

Laskowska came to UTEP after serving as Adams' top assistant at Independence Community College since 1998. She was also a player for Adams from 1995-97 at the national power at ICC. During her span as an assistant for the Lady Pirates, she helped the team to back-to-back conference championships.

Independence C.C. went 18-0 in the Jayhawk Conference, set a new school record with a 34-game winning streak (over two years) and finished the season 31-2 in 2000-01.

She helped Independence C.C. lead the nation in scoring offense with 94.0 points per game, and a final team national ranking of fifth in the NJCAA poll. Laskowska also helped to oversee the academic progress of the student-athletes. She helped to direct a team which posted a cumulative grade point average of 3.26, which was fourth-best in the nation in 2000-01.

Laskowska also assisted in recruiting and coaching two All-Americans, 12 all-conference players and one Jayhawk Conference most valuable player.

Laskowska also worked as coordinator of international students at ICC for one year.

A native of Stalowa Wola, Poland, Ewa Laskowska was one of the top student-athletes in Independence C.C. history.

She was twice named NJCAA All-American and Kodak All-American, in addition to gaining all-region and all-conference honors twice. Laskowska was the most valuable player at the NJCAA Region VI Tournament and was named to the all-tournament team at the NJCAA Championships. She was also an academic All-America selection and received the Jim Goodman fans favorite Award. As a freshman she helped the Lady Pirates finish second in the nation with a 34-4 record.

After two years at Independence C.C. she earned a scholarship at Kansas State University and she finished her bachelor's degree in psychology at Pittsburg State in 1999.