Stephanie Norman

Sun Devil Women’s Basketball alumna and a member of the A STEP UP Assistant Coaches Hall of Fame Class of 2024, Stephanie Norman returned to her alma mater as associate head coach and director of basketball strategy in April 2025.   Norman returned to Tempe following a storied, 18-season stint at Louisville – as assistant coach (2007-12) and associate head coach (2012-25) – where she helped Cardinals head coach Jeff Walz establish the program as a perennial national powerhouse. During her 18 seasons on the bench, Louisville earned 16 NCAA Tournament invites and advanced to the Sweet 16 or better 12 times, including eight Elite Eights and four Final Fours. On two occasions, Louisville came one win short of a national title with NCAA runner-up finishes in 2009 and 2013.     "Stephanie is a coaching legend, and we are so fortunate to add her to our staff,” Sun Devil head coach Molly Miller said. “With over 25 players coached who have gone on to be drafted, and a proven track record of success, including participating in multiple Final Fours, her experience speaks for itself. She is one of the most accomplished coaches in the game, and her ability to identify, recruit, and develop elite talent is unparalleled.    “Stephanie’s deep understanding of what it takes to compete at the highest level, combined with her extensive network and years of experience, will bring a wealth of knowledge to our team.”   Norman will be returning to familiar surroundings as she was a four-year letterwinner (1984-88) and a two-time Pac-10 All-Academic selection at ASU. She played 74 games in the Maroon and Gold and served as the team’s captain her junior and senior seasons.   “This is also her alma mater, and her pride for this program is evident,” Miller added. “She knows what it means to represent Arizona State, and her leadership will help instill that same sense of pride and excellence in our players. We are thrilled to have a proven winner like Stephanie back in Sun Devil Nation!”   Named the WBCA’s National Assistant Coach of the Year in 2021, Norman is one of only four active assistant coaches who have helped guide teams to four Final Fours. In her 18 seasons, the Cardinals won 77 percent of their games (486-146), including a remarkable 41-16 record in the NCAA Tournament, a 180-degree turnaround from the 4-11 all-time ledger Louisville had in the NCAAs prior to 2007-08.   In its 11 seasons in the ACC – where UofL captured four regular season titles and one ACC Tournament title – Louisville is the only team to finish in the top five of the conference every season of that stretch. Due in large part to Norman’s coaching, the Cardinals will enter the 2025-26 season with a streak of 15 consecutive 20-win campaigns, the fifth-longest active streak in the country.    From a player development standpoint, Norman’s coaching was integral in 15 Louisville student-athletes having their name called on the WNBA’s annual draft day. Among the 15 WNBA selections were first-round picks Angel McCoughtry (2009), Shoni Schimmel (2014), Asia Durr (2019), Jazmine Jones (2020) and Emily Engstler (2022).   On the recruiting trail, Norman was instrumental in inking the No. 1 class of 2015 that featured three McDonald’s All-Americans. She also helped pen the No. 6 freshman class in 2016 and 2024, No. 4 class in 2017 and No. 5 class in 2020. Norman’s outstanding ability to identify talent also aided in Louisville signing the 12th-best recruiting class in 2008, followed by three-consecutive top 10 classes (2009, 2010 and 2011); the 2010 class was tabbed as No. 5 nationally.   In the summer prior to the 2023-24 season, Norman guided the Cardinals to a Gold Medal at the 2023 GLOBL Jam Tournament in Toronto as the Cardinals represented the United States and beat Team Canada in the gold medal game.   Prior to her time at Louisville, Norman made stops at Vanderbilt, Oregon State, Oregon, Hawaii and British Columbia. Norman helped Vanderbilt secure the No. 1 recruiting class in 2003, which produced the No. 10 and No. 14 picks in the 2007 WNBA Draft; two of the six WNBA Draft picks during her time in Nashville. She also assisted in guiding the Commodores to five-consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a pair of Sweet 16 appearances.   Prior to her time in the SEC, Norman enjoyed a successful stint as assistant coach with both Pac-10 schools in the state of Oregon: Oregon (1992-99) and Oregon State (2000-02).    In Eugene, Ore., Norman was part of a staff that led the Ducks to six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Her coaching aided in the program capturing a share of the 1998-99 Pac-10 regular-season title and assisted in the development of the 1999 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, who earned All-America honors that same season. While with Oregon, she helped mold two WNBA Draft picks and one ABL Draft pick.   While in Corvallis, Ore., Norman’s experience played a pivotal role in helping the Beavers post consecutive winning seasons and WNIT appearances. Her instruction also helped produce the Pac-10 Player of the Year, who also was a two-time All-American and went on to be selected in the WNBA Draft.   In her two seasons as a graduate assistant at Hawaii the program achieved a pair of conference championships and a runner-up finish in the 1992 WNIT.   Originally hailing from Florence, Ore., Norman earned her undergraduate degree from ASU in 1989 and her master’s degree from Hawaii in 1992. She and her husband Geoff are the parents of a son (Parker) and a daughter (Cassidy).