Arizona women’s basketball assistant April Phillips hired away by Texas

Less than two months after re-joining the Arizona Wildcats, April Phillips is on the move again. The women’s basketball assistant coach was hired away by the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday.

“Texas is a very special place that combines academic and athletic excellence, but we know that it’s the people that matter most,” Phillips said in a statement. “I am humbled by the guidance of the most high to put me in a position to work alongside Coach Schaefer, whom I respect immensely, and his outstanding staff. My spirit is happy. I’m excited and determined to be relentless in our efforts together to create a life-changing, transformational experience for our young student-athletes both on and off the court. I can’t wait to meet our team and get to work.”

Phillips was hired by Arizona in April after spending two seasons as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at Cal. Before that, she held the same position at Arizona for a season.

Adia Barnes brought Phillips back after Tamisha Augustin and Jackie Nared left for Mississippi State and Oregon, respectively, this offseason.

“April and I both chose Arizona twice and we are thrilled to have her back a second time,” Barnes said in April. “She is the best recruiter on the west coast and one of the best in the country, but she is much more than just a recruiter. April is a very talented coach with a great basketball mind, and she is going to take us to another level.”

Though Barnes is now being paid like an elite head coach, schools like Texas, MSU and Oregon are still able to pony up more money for their coaches, leaving Arizona’s coaches prone to being poached.