Adrian Wiggins

Adrian Wiggins was the head women's basketball coach at California State University, Fresno, prior to accepting a position at the University of Mississippi,^[1] although he is currently on administrative leave.^[2][3] He has been replaced by acting head coach Brett Frank.^[4]

Biography

Wiggins began his coaching career at Lawton High School, where he served as an assistant coach from 1996-97. Wiggins was promoted to head coach the following year at Lawton High, serving as the Wolverines' skipper for two seasons before moving to collegiate coaching career with Cameron.

A 1995 graduate of Cameron, Wiggins received his bachelor's degree in psychology and was a four-year member of the Aggie baseball squad. He also received a Master of Science degree in Alternative Studies from CU in 2001.^[5]

Coaching career

2000-2002

Prior to Fresno State, Wiggins served as the head coach at Cameron University, a Division II school in Lawton, Oklahoma, from 2000-2002. Cameron went 15-12, in his first year at the helm, and qualified for the Lone Star Conference postseason tournament.

In 2001-02, Wiggins helped lead Cameron to its second-best record in program history and the Lone Star Conference's North Division title. The Aggies finished 25-5 and received a berth in the NCAA Division II Championships for the first time in their history. Cameron defeated Angelo State, 80-73, in the first round before falling, 64-61, to Saint Mary's (Texas).

Before being named head coach,^[6] Wiggins served as Fresno State's top assistant from 2002-05 under Stacey Johnson-Klein.

2004-2006

Wiggins coached at Fresno State since the 2004 season, and has coached two full seasons in 2005 and 2006. On February 9, 2005, he was appointed interim basketball coach, where he finished 7-4. During the 2005 season, he led Fresno State to a 24-8 record including a 14-2 record in Western Athletic Conference play. Both marks set school records. That Bulldogs team made it to the second round of the WNIT tournament.

Since his first full-season (2005–06) as head coach, the Bulldogs have the most wins in the WAC (140). Wiggins has amassed a 147-60 record in his six plus seasons as head coach and his WAC record of 79-17 is the best winning percentage among current WAC coaches.

The 2006 season saw the Bulldogs go 18-13 including a 9-7 mark in WAC games. The Bulldogs defeated two ranked teams for the first time in 14 years, upsetting Texas Tech and Brigham Young University. His overall record stands at 49-25, and 28-11 in WAC play. His teams have posted a 32-4 record in the Save Mart Center.

Under Wiggins, the Bulldogs have compiled an impressive 88-26 record at the Save Mart Center, including a school-best 15 home wins in the 2005-06 season.

2007-2008

The 2006-07 season saw the Bulldogs knock off No. 18 BYU and No. 23 Texas Tech. The victories were Fresno State's first wins over ranked opponents in 14 years.

The `Dogs recorded the most wins in school history during the 2005-06 season, as they finished 24-8. The 24 wins marked the best mark in the programs 42 years. That year the Bulldogs advanced to the postseason for the second consecutive year (a program first) and treated fans to back-to-back victories over UC-Santa Barbara and UNLV in the opening rounds of the WNIT tournament before falling to eventual champion Kansas State.

Wiggins guided the Bulldogs to new heights prior to the postseason, as Fresno State's 14-2 conference record was the best finish in school history. Among those wins was a 67-58 victory of Louisiana Tech, the first win in 12 attempts against the four-time defending champion Lady Techsters.

That same season Wiggins coached the WAC Player of the Year in Mirenda Swearengin. She was the first Bulldog to earn the honor since Wendy Martell was named PCAA Player of the Year in 1986-87. Also in 2005-06, Fresno State made an appearance in the receiving votes category of the Associated Press poll for the first time in program history.

Winning is nothing new to Wiggins. When he took over as the interim coach on Feb. 9, 2005, he guided the Bulldogs to wins in six of their final eight games while earning a berth in the WNIT tournament. The impressive finish gave Fresno State its sixth 20-win season in school history, providing further assurance to the Red Wave faithful that the Fresno State women's basketball program was indeed in good hands.

In the 2007/2008 season, the program clinched the WAC tournament title to earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in over 43 years. They would go on to lose in the first round against Baylor.

In 2008-09, the Bulldogs led the country in 3-pointers making 309 from beyond the arc, good for a mark of 9.4 a game. The 309 total set a new school and WAC record and was the second most in NCAA history. The Bulldogs also attempted an NCAA, WAC and school record 893 3-pointers. Along with an amazing year on the basketball court, the Bulldogs were impressive in the classroom as they boasted a 3.3 team GPA during the season. It is the best GPA the women's basketball team has had in at least seven years.

Defensively, the Bulldogs allowed a league-best 56.3 points in conference games while leading the WAC in rebounding margin at 4.4 a game.

In 2007-08, Wiggins guided the Bulldogs to the schools' first ever NCAA tournament appearance. He also garnered WAC Coach of the Year honors while leading the Bulldogs to a 22-11 record and a 14-2 conference mark.

After starting the year 0-6 and 2-8, the Bulldogs went on to win 20 of their final 23 games to capture the programs first ever WAC championship. Wiggins watched his team tie a school record of nine-straight wins and become the first school to beat Louisiana Tech three times in one season. Fresno State's 6-0 start in WAC play also tied a school record for the best start in conference play.

Fresno State's success was noticed by coaches and media from around the country as Tierre Wilson was named WAC Player of the Year and Honorable Mention AP All-American. Freshman Jaleesa Ross was named the WAC Newcomer of the Year and the WAC Tournament MVP. During the season the `Dogs also tied the school record for consecutive wins with nine.

On the floor, Fresno State led the WAC in rebounding margin at 7.7 for WAC games and in fewest points allowed at 59.4 points a game.

Fresno State enjoyed a magical season in 2008-09 when the team repeated as WAC regular season and tournament champions, earning its second-straight berth in the NCAA tournament. The `Dogs became the first team to repeat as WAC tournament champions since Louisiana Tech in 2003-04. Fresno State also improved their seeding in the NCAA tournament from a 14 seed to a 13 seed and played fourth-seeded Cal on the campus of USC. The Bulldogs 24-9 record tied a school record for most wins, set by Wiggins' 2005-06 team.

2009-2010

In the 2009/2010 season the Lady Dogs would once again earn an auto-bid to the NCAA Tournament by beating out its rival, Louisiana Tech, in the WAC title game. This mark the third straight year the Lady Dogs would go to the NCAA Tournament.

In 2009-10, the Bulldogs won a school record 27 games (27-7), became the first WAC school to go undefeated in conference play (16-0) since Louisiana Tech in 2002-03 and earned the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament at-large berth. It was also the first-time a Fresno State team had gone undefeated in conference play. Fresno State also rattled off a school-record 19-game winning streak, which at the time was the fifth longest winning streak in the country.

Fresno State won its third straight WAC regular season championship in 2010 and advanced to the conference tournament title game for the third straight year. During the season Fresno State boasted a program-best 27 RPI late in the year and they were one spot away from entering the Top 25 just before the start of the WAC Tournament.

Fresno State also boasted six academic All-WAC honorees in 2009-10, the most in the WAC this year and it tied the program record for most in the 46-year history. During the season, Ross became the Fresno State all-time 3-pointer leader, passing Lindsay Logan, who played at Fresno State from 2000-03.

2011-2012

In 2010-11, Wiggins and the Bulldogs went 25-8 overall and 14-2 in conference action. Fresno State led the country in three-pointers per game with 9.8. It is the second time in the past three seasons that the `Dogs have led the country in a three-point stat.

During the 2011-12 season he recorded his 200th win as a head coach.

Career highlights

Adrian Wiggins has set a new standard of success for the women's basketball program as he enters his seventh season as the Bulldogs head women's basketball coach. He is the only Fresno State coach in the 45-year history to not have a losing season and he is averaging 24.5 wins per season in his six full-seasons and he has been named the WAC Coach of the Year in two of the last three seasons.

Under the guidance of Wiggins, the Bulldogs have had the program's three most successful seasons in school history. His teams have also turned into one of the most prolific offensive teams in the country and one of the best defensive and rebounding teams in the WAC.

The history making started in 2005 and continued in 2010-11 season as the Bulldogs continue to find ways to make each season better than the previous.

The `Dogs entered the WAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed behind rival LA Tech, which was the only league team to beat Fresno State. The Bulldogs made the championship game and with the help of a buzzer beating shot from Bree Farley, the `Dogs earned its fourth-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.

The Bulldogs entered the tournament as the No. 12 seed, which is the highest seed ever for Fresno State. The `Dogs lost a competitive game to North Carolina in the first round of March Madness. Jaleesa Ross, Rosie Moult and Taylor Thompson earned all-league honors. A total of eight Bulldogs earned Academic All-WAC honors. Ross was also named the WAC Tournament MVP for the third consecutive year.

Under Wiggins' guidance, Ross will go down as one of the best women's basketball players in school history. During her career, Ross broke the program record for points (2,002), field goals (723), three-point field goals (389) and steals (247). She played in 133 games in her four-year career and was named the conference tournament MVP three times.

Wiggins was also named the WBCA Region 7 Coach of the Year and was one of eight finalists for National Coach of the Year honors.

Academics are a high priority for coach Wiggins. Since taking over the head coaching duties, Wiggins has coached 28 student-athletes who have earned Academic All-WAC honors. His team has represented the University with integrity as the Bulldogs have posted a 3.0 team GPA in eight of 12 semesters during his tenure. In addition, Bulldog student-athletes continue to maintain a strong presence in the community, serving as role models to Valley youth while participating in various service functions, camps and clinics.

Wiggins' style of play has paved the way for his players to play professionally. In just under six years, Wiggins has coached nine players who have gone on to play professionally. As the head coach at Cameron, he had two players sign professional contracts.

External links

• Adrian Wiggins profile

References