TUCSON – When you’re embarking on a new journey, sometimes a familiar face can make all the difference. For Becky Burke, that means bringing in someone she was with in New York to Tucson. On Friday, Arizona announced it has added former Buffalo assistant coach James Ewing to its staff in the same role.
“I am absolutely thrilled to have James here in Tucson with me,” said Burke in a statement released on Friday. “He is a high-level recruiter, high character man, and brings exceptional energy and passion for the game. James was a large part of the success we had at Buffalo and I am so excited for us to continue that success together here at Arizona.”
Ewing served as an assistant coach at Buffalo the last two seasons. During that span, he helped lead the Bulls to back-to-back WNIT appearances, including a tournament title in 2025. Under Burke and Ewing, Buffalo finished with a program-record 30 wins in the 2024-25 season, and a MAC Tournament Championship game appearance in 2023-24. During Ewing’s two seasons with the Bulls, Buffalo improved its overall record by seven and 11 wins, respectively.
Prior to his time with Burke, Ewing served as the Director of Basketball Operations at St. Bonaventure during the 2022-23 season. Before working with the Bonnies, he was an assistant coach at Daemen College. Ewing, who has a background in coaching post players, helped develop Player of the Year and First Team All-American Katie Titus.
Arizona has now added two members to its staff, including assistant coach James Ewing and general manager Michelle Marciniak. 17-year WNBA veteran coach and Lute Olson’s granddaughter, Julie Brase-Hairgrove, is also reportedly joining Becky Burke’s staff. The program has not yet confirmed the hire.