Arizona women’s golf coach Laura Ianello earns contract extension after 3rd straight NCAA semifinal appearance

The Arizona women’s golf program has become a mainstay in the final rounds of the NCAA championship, winning the 2018 national title and making the Final Four the last two tournaments. The architect of those deep postseason runs, Laura Ianello, is being rewarded for her work.

The school announced Monday it had signed Ianello to a 5-year contract extension through the 2026 season. No salary terms were released.

“Laura has continuously shown that she is an elite caliber coach that has developed Arizona Women’s Golf into a national powerhouse,” Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke said in a news release. “The Wildcats are the only team to reach the semifinals of the NCAA Championships in each of the last three seasons, which showcases the comprehensive excellence of Laura as a leader. Our women’s golf student-athletes represent our athletics department and our university with tremendous pride and distinction, and that is a tremendous testament to the program Laura has built. She is a proud Wildcat, and the future of Arizona Women’s Golf continues to shine brightly under her leadership.”

Ianello, a UA alum and member of the school’s 2000 NCAA title, she has been in charge of the women’s golf program since 2010. During her tenure the Wildcats have made NCAA appearances and have finished in the top four at the Pac-10/12 Championships every season.

“I want to thank Dave Heeke and our administration for their belief in me and our women’s golf program,” Ianello said in a statement. “My goals at Arizona are to continue to build a championship legacy and help our student-athletes excel on and off the course. Being a Wildcat, and having worn the red and blue, motivates me to make the University of Arizona a world class training center for our current and future student-athletes to become champions and proudly represent this tremendous university.”

Ianello is a 2-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year, winning it in 2010 and 2019. She has coached 15 all-conference selections and seven All-Americans, including senior Yu-Sang Hou, who became a 3-time WGCA All-American this spring.

She is the latest UA coach to receive a contract extension in recent weeks, joining men’s golf coach Jim Anderson and women’s basketball coach Adia Barnes, who has inked a pair of extensions since March after leading the Wildcats to the national title game.