TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State University head women's basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne today announced the appointment of Nikki Blue as assistant coach.
Blue will be will be replacing former Sun Devil standout and current Phoenix Mercury guard Briann January, who will be stepping down from her coaching position to focus exclusively on her professional basketball career.
"Nikki was an All-American and four-time, first-team All-Pac-10 selection, who went on to have a very accomplished professional career playing both in the WNBA and overseas. You combine that with her experience and success as a coach and you have someone who I know our players will be excited to learn from because they aspire to play at the highest level like Nikki has," Turner Thorne said. "Nikki is not just a former great player, but she really gets all the facets of coaching. She has an incredible giving spirit and we look forward to everything she will bring to our program as a coach, recruiter and mentor.
"I'm really happy for Bri and am so appreciative for all she helped us achieve during her two seasons on staff. As coaches, our job is all in, all out all the time and it is no different being a professional basketball player. And that's who Bri is a person and so it was very difficult because she was being stretched too thin. We are 100 percent behind her in this decision. I always tell my players to play professionally for as long as they can and I want the same for Bri and I know she will finish strong."
Blue will joining Turner Thorne's staff from nearby Grand Canyon University where she has been the top assistant and recruiting coordinator the last two seasons. In that position she oversaw the program's domestic and international recruiting, scouting and planning. In her first season on staff, Blue's guidance was instrumental in guard Brie Mobley earning All-WAC first-team recognition.
"I am beyond excited for the opportunity to join the Sun Devil women's basketball program," said Blue. "I have always admired the culture of competitive toughness and academic excellence that coach Charli and her staff have established. Their passion, tremendous work ethic in recruiting and continual commitment to the development of student-athletes – both as players and people – is something that I can't wait to be a part of."
Blue arrived at GCU after spending three seasons as the top assistant at CSU Bakersfield, where she was part of a staff that helped the Roadrunners to a 2014 postseason appearance with 23 wins. Before Bakersfield, Blue spent six years as an assistant coach at UNLV, where she helped the Rebels land the Nevada Player of the Year out of high school and develop the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year in 2008.
As a player, Blue had a decorated career at UCLA where earned Pac-10 first-team honors four times and was named a WBCA All-American in 2006. During her time at UCLA she played an integral role in leading the Bruins to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2006 Pac-10 Tournament title.
Blue was drafted by the WNBA's Washington Mystics in 2006. She played four seasons with the Mystics and one with the New York Liberty before playing two seasons internationally with FIBA (one in Turkey and one in Greece).
Blue graduated from UCLA in 2006 with a bachelor of arts degree in history. She has one daughter, Cali Marie Coleman.
January, who helped lead ASU to 104 wins as a player (2006-09) – the most in program history in a four-year span – rejoined Sun Devil Women's Basketball as an assistant coach in April 2017. A six-time WNBA All-Defensive team member (2012-17) and All-Star in 2014, January has helped lead her teams to the playoffs nine times in 10 seasons. January was selected by the Indiana Fever with the sixth overall pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft. She helped Indiana earn three trips to the WNBA Finals and a WNBA championship in 2012. In her first season as a member of the Mercury in 2018, January led the WNBA in 3-point field goal percentage and helped Phoenix get within one win of the WNBA Finals.
"Putting coaching on hold while I finish my playing career was a difficult decision," January said. "Arizona State holds a special place in my heart and I'm grateful I was able to represent the Sun Devils both as a player and coach. I am honored to have worked with such an experienced coaching staff and incredibly talented players. I'd like to thank Charli for this amazing opportunity and our dedicated fans for their support."
The Sun Devils finished 15th in the nation in 2018-19, setting school records for consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (six) and 20-win seasons (six). Last month ASU won a pair of games in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fifth time since 2005.
Blue will be will be replacing former Sun Devil standout and current Phoenix Mercury guard Briann January, who will be stepping down from her coaching position to focus exclusively on her professional basketball career.
"Nikki was an All-American and four-time, first-team All-Pac-10 selection, who went on to have a very accomplished professional career playing both in the WNBA and overseas. You combine that with her experience and success as a coach and you have someone who I know our players will be excited to learn from because they aspire to play at the highest level like Nikki has," Turner Thorne said. "Nikki is not just a former great player, but she really gets all the facets of coaching. She has an incredible giving spirit and we look forward to everything she will bring to our program as a coach, recruiter and mentor.
"I'm really happy for Bri and am so appreciative for all she helped us achieve during her two seasons on staff. As coaches, our job is all in, all out all the time and it is no different being a professional basketball player. And that's who Bri is a person and so it was very difficult because she was being stretched too thin. We are 100 percent behind her in this decision. I always tell my players to play professionally for as long as they can and I want the same for Bri and I know she will finish strong."
Blue will joining Turner Thorne's staff from nearby Grand Canyon University where she has been the top assistant and recruiting coordinator the last two seasons. In that position she oversaw the program's domestic and international recruiting, scouting and planning. In her first season on staff, Blue's guidance was instrumental in guard Brie Mobley earning All-WAC first-team recognition.
"I am beyond excited for the opportunity to join the Sun Devil women's basketball program," said Blue. "I have always admired the culture of competitive toughness and academic excellence that coach Charli and her staff have established. Their passion, tremendous work ethic in recruiting and continual commitment to the development of student-athletes – both as players and people – is something that I can't wait to be a part of."
Blue arrived at GCU after spending three seasons as the top assistant at CSU Bakersfield, where she was part of a staff that helped the Roadrunners to a 2014 postseason appearance with 23 wins. Before Bakersfield, Blue spent six years as an assistant coach at UNLV, where she helped the Rebels land the Nevada Player of the Year out of high school and develop the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year in 2008.
As a player, Blue had a decorated career at UCLA where earned Pac-10 first-team honors four times and was named a WBCA All-American in 2006. During her time at UCLA she played an integral role in leading the Bruins to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2006 Pac-10 Tournament title.
Blue was drafted by the WNBA's Washington Mystics in 2006. She played four seasons with the Mystics and one with the New York Liberty before playing two seasons internationally with FIBA (one in Turkey and one in Greece).
Blue graduated from UCLA in 2006 with a bachelor of arts degree in history. She has one daughter, Cali Marie Coleman.
January, who helped lead ASU to 104 wins as a player (2006-09) – the most in program history in a four-year span – rejoined Sun Devil Women's Basketball as an assistant coach in April 2017. A six-time WNBA All-Defensive team member (2012-17) and All-Star in 2014, January has helped lead her teams to the playoffs nine times in 10 seasons. January was selected by the Indiana Fever with the sixth overall pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft. She helped Indiana earn three trips to the WNBA Finals and a WNBA championship in 2012. In her first season as a member of the Mercury in 2018, January led the WNBA in 3-point field goal percentage and helped Phoenix get within one win of the WNBA Finals.
"Putting coaching on hold while I finish my playing career was a difficult decision," January said. "Arizona State holds a special place in my heart and I'm grateful I was able to represent the Sun Devils both as a player and coach. I am honored to have worked with such an experienced coaching staff and incredibly talented players. I'd like to thank Charli for this amazing opportunity and our dedicated fans for their support."
The Sun Devils finished 15th in the nation in 2018-19, setting school records for consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (six) and 20-win seasons (six). Last month ASU won a pair of games in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fifth time since 2005.