March 18, 2026, 4:29 p.m. ET
Arizona State is playing in the Women’s NCAA Tournament this week for the first time in seven years after putting together a 24-10 overall record under first-year head coach Molly Miller.
But when the Sun Devils arrived in Iowa City, Iowa ahead of their First Four matchup with Virginia, Miller wasn’t with them.
An Arizona State spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that Miller is dealing with an illness and did not make the trip to Iowa City. The Sun Devils are hoping to have Miller there on Thursday for their tournament opener against Virginia, which tips off at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Arizona State associate head coach Stephanie Norman is handling the media duties on Wednesday that Miller would do, such as the pregame press conference in Iowa City.
Even though Miller is not currently with her players in Iowa, they still feel her presence.
“Obviously we want Molly at everything that we do but at the same time, there’s not a drop-off when she’s not here. Our practices this week have been amazing and we’ve had great coaches that have stepped up and led the way for us,” Sun Devils senior guard Marley Washenitz said. “And just because she’s not physically here with us doesn’t mean she’s not doing things behind the scenes. She’s been doing the scouting. She’s been up late watching film and she’s been communicating to us as well.”
Should Miller not be able to coach on Thursday, it seems likely that Norman would sit in the head coach’s chair, though Arizona State has not officially named an interim coach for the game as the Sun Devils remain optimistic that Miller can join them.
“It’s sort of a precarious situation because obviously our leader is not here and we’re hoping for the best so she can recover and be with our team. That’s kind of the status,” Norman said Wednesday. “It’s hour to hour. I’m hoping she’s taking care of all of the things that she can in her power. We miss her dearly but at the same time, we have a job to do so we’re focused on that.”
Norman, 59, is an Arizona State graduate and has been around women’s college basketball for decades. She was previously the top lieutenant to Jeff Walz at Louisville from 2007 to 2025, helping the Cardinals make four trips to the Final Four. Before that, she was an assistant coach at Vanderbilt, Oregon State, Oregon and Hawaii, beginning her coaching career back in 1990.
Last April, Norman left Louisville to join Miller in rebuilding Arizona State. In their first year together, the Sun Devils improved their win total by 14, which is the third largest improvement in the nation behind LIU and McNeese, and the largest win improvement amongst Power 4 programs.
“I had a lot to learn in terms of her terminology and the way she wanted to do things. It has been really fun for me, even after all these years,” Norman said of working with Miller. “It all stems from her. From that waterfall she pours out to all of us and we all toe the line when it comes to our intensity and intention on the defensive side of the ball.”
Miller was previously the head coach at Grand Canyon where she went 117-38 in five seasons and took the Lopes to their first Division I NCAA Tournament last year. She was one of the premier candidates on the coaching carousel last year and was pursued by at least two SEC programs before ultimately taking the job with the Sun Devils.
Arizona State was one of the last four teams to make the NCAA Tournament field this season. Should the Sun Devils win on Thursday, they’ll face No. 7 Georgia on Saturday.