Texas Tech University Athletics
Women's Basketball
Adrian Walters
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
Adrian Walters is in his second season as the associate head coach for the Lady Raiders in 2025-26.Â
The Lady Raiders broke streaks and records in 2025-26, posting a 26-8 overall record and 12-6 Big 12 record. After being picked 13th in the Big 12 preseason poll and finishing tied for fourth in the conference, Texas Tech recorded its highest conference finish since the 2012-13 season, its most overall wins since the 2002-03 season and its most Big 12 wins since the 2004-05 season. Walters helped the Lady Raiders to their best start in program history at 19-0 and to a national ranking for the first time since January 2012, spending 12-consecutive weeks in the AP top-25. With the 19-0 start to the year, Texas Tech tied its longest win streak in a single season in program history with 19 straight wins (Jan. 27, 1992 – April 4, 1993), the same year Tech won the national championship.
Tallying three top-15 wins in 2025-26, Walters aided the Lady Raiders to their first sweep of Baylor in a single season since 2003-04. The team's first win against the Bears on Dec. 21, 2025 snapped a 31-game Baylor winning streak dating back to 2011 and was also Tech's first win at Baylor since Feb. 8, 2004. Tech added another win over Baylor on Feb. 18 in Lubbock, 87-56. The 31-point win margin was the best against a ranked opponent since at least 2000 and the second largest win over Baylor in the last 30 years. Beginning conference play with a 6-0 start, the best start to conference since 2000-01, the Scarlet and Black posted its first win in Morgantown, W.Va., since Jan. 14, 2015 and only the third time in program history winning in Mountaineer territory. The Lady Raiders also earned their first win in program history over Cincinnati, a team Tech was previously 0-3 all-time against. With their wins at West Virginia and at Cincinnati, the Lady Raiders posted back-to-back road conference wins for the first time since 2004-05. The Lady Raiders also began Big 12 play with a 6-0 record, the best start to conference since 2000-01. Texas Tech earned its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013 and got a win in the tournament for the first time since 2005 after defeating Villanova in the Round of 64. Walters coached multiple All-Big 12 selections in the Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year and All-Big 12 Second Team selection, Snudda Collins, All-Big 12 First Team selection, Bailey Maupin, and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection in Jalynn Bristow.
Walters come to Tech after spending five seasons as an assistant coach with the North Carolina women's basketball program. While with the Tar Heels, Walters coached the team to the NCAA Tournament all five years he was there, including two second-round appearances and a third-round appearance. In the 2024-25 season, North Carolina would go 29-8 overall and 13-5 in the ACC to finish fourth in the regular season. In addition, the Tar Heels advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament before making it to the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
In Walters' stint at North Carolina, the Tar Heels totaled 109 overall wins and 56 conference victories. He would coach two WBCA All-American Honorable Mentions in Janelle Bailey (2021) and Deja Kelly (2022), one WNBA top-10 draft pick in Stephanie Watts, seven All-ACC selections and 13 Academic All-ACC members.
Prior to his time in Chapel Hill, N.C., Walters spent the 2019-20 season as an assistant coach for the University of Alabama's women's basketball team. In that year, the Crimson Tide recorded its highest amount of regular season (18) and conference wins (8) since 1997-98. Walters served as Alabama's defensive coordinator and oversaw the post players at Alabama, helping the team hold opponents to just 64.2 points per game that year.
Before this, Walters served as an assistant coach at Auburn for seven seasons where he focused on player development, post players and scheduling. Walters aided the Tigers to three NCAA Tournament appearances as well as two WNIT appearances. In 2018-19, Auburn had its best season in 10 years after going 22-10 overall and 9-7 in the SEC, earning its third NCAA Tournament bid in the last four seasons. In that year, the Tigers set program records in single-season 3-pointers, single-game 3-pointers, fewest turnovers in a season and in SEC road wins.
In the 2015-16 season, Walters aided the team to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009 and coached Tra'Cee Tanner to an All-SEC Second Team selection after finishing her career with at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 100 assists, 100 blocks and 100 steals. In his first year with the Tigers, Walters coached Auburn to the WNIT quarterfinals and 19 wins, which marked the most wins in the past four years for Auburn. The team would go on to set a school record of 402 steals that season and forced 701 turnovers, which ranked second in the program's history.
Before his time at Auburn, Walters was an assistant coach in 2011-12 for Georgetown's women's basketball team. In that one season, he would coach the team to an impressive 23-9 overall record and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Prior to his stint at Georgetown, Walters served as associate head coach from 2008-11 for the men's basketball team at El Camino College in Torrance, Calif., where he was in charge of recruiting, player development and post players. Before coaching at El Camino College, Walters was the associate head coach for the Hampton men's basketball team for a season, where the Pirates went 18-12 overall. Prior to this season at Hampton, Walters served as a Vice-President for Bank of America for five years.
His first coaching experience came right after college when he served as an assistant coach at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., for two seasons, then took on the head coaching role in his third year there. He transitioned to Division I a year later in 1991-92 when he became a men's assistant coach at Towson. While there, he aided the team to a 17-13 record and an East Coach Conference championship.
From Towson, Walters made his way to Southern California for four seasons from 1992-96. The Trojans men's basketball team made the NIT in his first two years, including a run to the quarterfinals in his first season. After his stop at USC, Walters spent a season as assistant coach at Central Connecticut State.
A four-year letterwinner for the Saint Francis University (Pa.) Red Flash, Walters graduated with a bachelor's degree in social work.
The Lady Raiders broke streaks and records in 2025-26, posting a 26-8 overall record and 12-6 Big 12 record. After being picked 13th in the Big 12 preseason poll and finishing tied for fourth in the conference, Texas Tech recorded its highest conference finish since the 2012-13 season, its most overall wins since the 2002-03 season and its most Big 12 wins since the 2004-05 season. Walters helped the Lady Raiders to their best start in program history at 19-0 and to a national ranking for the first time since January 2012, spending 12-consecutive weeks in the AP top-25. With the 19-0 start to the year, Texas Tech tied its longest win streak in a single season in program history with 19 straight wins (Jan. 27, 1992 – April 4, 1993), the same year Tech won the national championship.
Tallying three top-15 wins in 2025-26, Walters aided the Lady Raiders to their first sweep of Baylor in a single season since 2003-04. The team's first win against the Bears on Dec. 21, 2025 snapped a 31-game Baylor winning streak dating back to 2011 and was also Tech's first win at Baylor since Feb. 8, 2004. Tech added another win over Baylor on Feb. 18 in Lubbock, 87-56. The 31-point win margin was the best against a ranked opponent since at least 2000 and the second largest win over Baylor in the last 30 years. Beginning conference play with a 6-0 start, the best start to conference since 2000-01, the Scarlet and Black posted its first win in Morgantown, W.Va., since Jan. 14, 2015 and only the third time in program history winning in Mountaineer territory. The Lady Raiders also earned their first win in program history over Cincinnati, a team Tech was previously 0-3 all-time against. With their wins at West Virginia and at Cincinnati, the Lady Raiders posted back-to-back road conference wins for the first time since 2004-05. The Lady Raiders also began Big 12 play with a 6-0 record, the best start to conference since 2000-01. Texas Tech earned its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013 and got a win in the tournament for the first time since 2005 after defeating Villanova in the Round of 64. Walters coached multiple All-Big 12 selections in the Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year and All-Big 12 Second Team selection, Snudda Collins, All-Big 12 First Team selection, Bailey Maupin, and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection in Jalynn Bristow.
Walters come to Tech after spending five seasons as an assistant coach with the North Carolina women's basketball program. While with the Tar Heels, Walters coached the team to the NCAA Tournament all five years he was there, including two second-round appearances and a third-round appearance. In the 2024-25 season, North Carolina would go 29-8 overall and 13-5 in the ACC to finish fourth in the regular season. In addition, the Tar Heels advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament before making it to the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
In Walters' stint at North Carolina, the Tar Heels totaled 109 overall wins and 56 conference victories. He would coach two WBCA All-American Honorable Mentions in Janelle Bailey (2021) and Deja Kelly (2022), one WNBA top-10 draft pick in Stephanie Watts, seven All-ACC selections and 13 Academic All-ACC members.
Prior to his time in Chapel Hill, N.C., Walters spent the 2019-20 season as an assistant coach for the University of Alabama's women's basketball team. In that year, the Crimson Tide recorded its highest amount of regular season (18) and conference wins (8) since 1997-98. Walters served as Alabama's defensive coordinator and oversaw the post players at Alabama, helping the team hold opponents to just 64.2 points per game that year.
Before this, Walters served as an assistant coach at Auburn for seven seasons where he focused on player development, post players and scheduling. Walters aided the Tigers to three NCAA Tournament appearances as well as two WNIT appearances. In 2018-19, Auburn had its best season in 10 years after going 22-10 overall and 9-7 in the SEC, earning its third NCAA Tournament bid in the last four seasons. In that year, the Tigers set program records in single-season 3-pointers, single-game 3-pointers, fewest turnovers in a season and in SEC road wins.
In the 2015-16 season, Walters aided the team to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009 and coached Tra'Cee Tanner to an All-SEC Second Team selection after finishing her career with at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 100 assists, 100 blocks and 100 steals. In his first year with the Tigers, Walters coached Auburn to the WNIT quarterfinals and 19 wins, which marked the most wins in the past four years for Auburn. The team would go on to set a school record of 402 steals that season and forced 701 turnovers, which ranked second in the program's history.
Before his time at Auburn, Walters was an assistant coach in 2011-12 for Georgetown's women's basketball team. In that one season, he would coach the team to an impressive 23-9 overall record and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Prior to his stint at Georgetown, Walters served as associate head coach from 2008-11 for the men's basketball team at El Camino College in Torrance, Calif., where he was in charge of recruiting, player development and post players. Before coaching at El Camino College, Walters was the associate head coach for the Hampton men's basketball team for a season, where the Pirates went 18-12 overall. Prior to this season at Hampton, Walters served as a Vice-President for Bank of America for five years.
His first coaching experience came right after college when he served as an assistant coach at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., for two seasons, then took on the head coaching role in his third year there. He transitioned to Division I a year later in 1991-92 when he became a men's assistant coach at Towson. While there, he aided the team to a 17-13 record and an East Coach Conference championship.
From Towson, Walters made his way to Southern California for four seasons from 1992-96. The Trojans men's basketball team made the NIT in his first two years, including a run to the quarterfinals in his first season. After his stop at USC, Walters spent a season as assistant coach at Central Connecticut State.
A four-year letterwinner for the Saint Francis University (Pa.) Red Flash, Walters graduated with a bachelor's degree in social work.
2025-26 Season Recap
Thursday, April 16
Postgame Press Conference: at LSU
Sunday, March 22
Highlights: at LSU
Sunday, March 22
NCAA Tournament Second Round Preview
Saturday, March 21
