No matter the sport or the level of competition, one thing that head coaches all value is experience, which is exactly what Becky Burke is adding to her coaching staff this season. On Monday, Arizona Women’s Basketball announced former Kent State head coach Todd Starkey is joining the program as associate head coach.
Starkey spent the last 10 seasons leading the Golden Flashes, but brings 25 years of coaching experience with him to Tucson. His finished his tenure in Portage County as the second-winningest coach in school history with a 179-127 record. During his time at Kent State, Starkey guided the program to an NCAA Tournament appearance, four Postseason WNIT berths, and two Mid-American Conference East Division titles. He also earned MAC Coach of the Year honors in 2017.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join Coach Burke and her staff! Her competitive passion for the game is unmatched and inspiring! I am very grateful to the Kent State community for all of their incredible support over the past 10 years,” Starkey said in a release. “I look forward to bringing the same passion to pursue championships to Arizona and Coach Burke’s staff! Bear Down…Go Cats!!”
Prior to his time with the Golden Flashes, Starkey spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Indiana University Bloomington. He also served as the head women’s basketball at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne University from 2005-14, and worked as a men’s assistant coach at Lenoir-Rhyne and Montreat College, his alma mater, prior to that.
“We are thrilled to have Todd Starkey join our coaching staff here at Arizona,” Burke said. “He is an incredible basketball mind, relationship builder and human being. Our goal is to compete for Big 12 Championships and recruit the best players in the country, and with the addition of Coach Starkey we have put ourselves in position to do so. I am grateful that a coach of Todd’s caliber has decided to come be a Wildcat.”
Starkey is the second publicly-known coaching staff change for Becky Burke and the Wildcats this offseason. General Manager Michelle Marciniak announced she is stepping down to care for her mother who is battling Alzheimer’s disease. One player, Tanyuel Welch, has also already announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal