Arizona signs Barnes to contract extension through 2025-26

<p>TUCSON, Ariz. &mdash; Arizona has extended women’s basketball coach Adia Barnes’ contract through the 2025-26 season.</p>
<p>The deal announced Thursday must be approved by the Arizona Board of Regents.</p>
<p>Barnes is Arizona’s all-time leading scorer and she returned to coach her alma mater in 2016. Bolstered by strong recruiting, Barnes has transformed the Wildcats into a top-10 team after nearly a decade of struggling.</p>
<p>Arizona was poised to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005 last year before the season was canceled by the coronavirus pandemic.</p>
<p>The Wildcats won 16 games during the truncated 2020-21 season, had their highest ranking in The Associated Press poll at No. 6 and spent 13 weeks in the top 10.</p>
<p>Arizona opens the NCAA Tournament on Monday against Stony Brook.</p>
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<p>More AP women’s basketball: <a href="https://apnews.com/Womenscollegebasketball">https://apnews.com/Womenscollegebasketball</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Top25">https://twitter.com/AP_Top25</a></p>