College basketball: Lady Falcons name new head coach

UTPB announced Wednesday that Adam Collins has been hired as the school's new head women's basketball coach.

Collins, who also will be the assistant athletic director, becomes the program's second coach, taking over from John Hufford.

"It's a great feeling," Collins said by phone Wednesday. "This is what I've been shooting for and with my background in NCAA Division II basketball, I think I'll be able to really help as UTPB makes the move from the NAIA to Division II.

"Also, my wife is from Big Spring and my son was born in Odessa, so it's a homecoming for us."

Collins is leaving a job as the director of men's basketball operations at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

He was an assistant coach at Howard College for the 2000-01 season, before taking assistant coaching positions at NCAA Division II schools Indiana University (Pa.) and Henderson State University (Ark.).

While at IUP for the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, Collins helped coach the team to the NCAA Division II Final Four in 2002.

He also was the head coach at Mercyhurst Northeast (Pa.) Junior College during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons, compiling a 44-14 record and being named NJCAA Regional Coach of the Year.

Collins also was an assistant at Henderson State during the 2005-06 season before taking the job at North Carolina-Wilmington, which is a member of the NCAA Division I Colonial Athletic Association.

"We are pleased to have Coach Collins join our staff," UTPB athletic director Steve Aicinena said in a news release. "He has had a history of success as an assistant and as a head coach.

"We are confident that he will bring significant improvements in our women's program. He is detail-oriented, a good recruiter and has a good understanding of NCAA basketball."