If there was something the Arizona women’s basketball coaching staff needed, it was someone with ties in the Big 12 and current Power 4 recruiting experience. Arizona head coach Becky Burke found that in her new associate head coach, Ashley Odom.
Odom comes to Arizona from Texas Tech, where she was elevated to associate head coach prior to the 2024-25 season. It was her fifth year with the Lady Raiders.
Odom spent 12 years with TTU head coach Krista Gerlich, serving on her staff both with the Raiders and at UT Arlington before that.
At UT Arlington, Odom helped the team to a Sun Belt conference title during the 2018-19 regular season. She was honored as the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Division I Assistant Coach of the Year in 2017.
Odom became available when Gerlich was forced to make changes on her staff. Despite a strong run late in the season and the WBIT, the Raiders only won four games in Big 12 play. A report in the Lubbock-Avalanche Journal on Mar. 28 indicated that athletic director Kirby Hocutt wanted changes in the program. Gerlich announced several separations and reassignments on Apr. 12.
The program also lost out on hometown star and No. 1 recruit Aaliyah Chavez, but it was unlikely that the Raiders would land her without a huge influx of NIL or revenue share money to woo her. TTU had already announced that women’s basketball would only get two percent of the $20.5 million in rev share suggested in the House settlement, putting the program behind the eight ball in securing such a talent when going up against SEC schools with more resources. Chavez ended up committing to Oklahoma.
Odom is a native of Mequite, Tex. She coached at her alma mater, Lamar University prior to her time in Arlington. Her lifelong ties in the state of Texas give her roots in a state that is rich with basketball talent. They also give Arizona a coach who has been actively involved in Division I basketball in the western half of the country, something Burke didn’t have on her staff before hiring Odom.
Lead photo by Ryan Kelapire