New Mexico State University announced on March 11 that Adeniyi Amadou would take the helm of its women’s basketball program, signing a five‑year deal that guarantees him $200,000 per season. The announcement came after the team posted a 9‑21 record the previous year, a result that left the program eager for a fresh direction.
Amadou arrives in Las Cruces after seven seasons as associate head coach at Rhode Island, where he helped the Rams break through to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history. His tenure at Rhode Island was marked by a steady rise in competitiveness and a reputation for player development.
Morita Makes History
His first hire was Asami Morita, a recruiter with a trans‑Pacific résumé who spent the last three years leading Division II Westminster (Utah). Morita becomes the first Japanese‑born head coach in NCAA women’s basketball history and will also serve as the program’s recruiting coordinator, a role that could reshape the roster’s talent pipeline.
Adeola Akomolafe joins the staff after a long tenure at Texas Christian University, where she was vital in the recruitment of notable players such as Hailey Van Lith and Sedona Prince. Her reputation as a talent spotter adds a new dimension to the Aggies’ recruiting strategy.
Vonn Read brings defensive expertise to the mix. He was an assistant at Memphis during the 2025‑26 season, engineering a defensive turnaround for the Tigers, and previously served as associate head coach at Houston, where the Cougars ranked seventh nationally in defensive efficiency. Read’s career also includes eight NCAA Tournament appearances and a run to the 2016 national championship game while at Syracuse.
Together, the new assistants represent a blend of recruiting savvy, defensive acumen and international perspective that the university hopes will lift the team out of a 9‑21 season and back into contention. Their combined experience across multiple institutions suggests a strategic reshaping of the program’s culture and on‑court identity.