Arizona Coach Pumped Breast Milk for Her Baby During Halftime of NCAA Women's Championship Game
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Coach Adia Barnes was a multitasking pro during the NCAA Women's Basketball championship game.
On Sunday in San Antonio, the University of Arizona coach, who is also a former WNBA champion, was spotted coming out of the locker room a bit later than the rest of the team. According to reporter Holly Rowe, Barnes, a mom to a 6-month-old baby girl named Capri, spent part of halftime pumping breast milk for her child.
"For those of you who think this is too much information, let's normalize working mothers and all they have to do," Rowe said.
After the game, Barnes spoke to reporters about her "journey" to the championship game. "I had a baby right when season started. And took like a week off, it says I took a month off but I did not," she said. "I was on Zoom calls four days after having a C-section so it was hard. But my team loved on me. I missed a couple of weeks, I got a little sick, they fought for me. I came back. They were patient. I'm happy."
Barnes continued, "I represented moms, I have a baby here. I hear her crying ready to feed. I represent moms, you can be a coach, you can do it at an elite level. You just have to have a village like I do. I represent Black females, don't get here too often and don't get opportunities. But I had an opportunity today on the biggest stage and represented a lot."
Though No. 3 seed Arizona ultimately lost by one point to Stanford (53-54), Barnes was applauded on social media for being a "badass" working mother and leading the university to its first Final Four appearance.
Arizona previously made it to the Sweet 16 round.
"My team…my heart! This hurt but they played their hearts out and that's all that I can ask for. I'm so proud of them and what we accomplished this year!" Barnes tweeted after the game.
"Let's normalize working mothers and all that they have to do to make it happen." 🗣️🗣️🗣️ @sportsiren's report on Arizona head coach Adia Barnes pumping at halftime of the national championship. pic.twitter.com/xainGkoCKl
— The Undefeated (@TheUndefeated) April 4, 2021
“...for those of you who think this is too much information, let’s normalize working mothers and all they have to do.” #ncaaW
Thank you, Adia Barnes.
...and well done, @sportsiren!— Kristen Ledlow (@KristenLedlow) April 4, 2021
Adia Barnes was late coming out of the locker room because she was pumping breast milk for her baby during halftime. She’s doing that while getting ready to coach the 2nd half of the #NationalChampionship game. Women are freaking amazing man!
— Women’s Hoopz (@WomensHoopz) April 4, 2021
Arizona coach Adia Barnes shot double birds to the haters after beating UConn and, per ESPN's Holly Rowe, pumped breastmilk for her baby at halftime of the national championship game.
She's a badass in every conceivable way.— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) April 4, 2021
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Congratulations to @ArizonaWBB as well! Coach Adia Barnes had her team well prepared and they executed the game plan despite the loss. Her strategy was outstanding! Unfortunately, they came up short.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 5, 2021
We are so proud of you @AdiaBarnes!#BearDown pic.twitter.com/2lZ2XXxIqI
— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) April 5, 2021
THIS ENDING! 😱 pic.twitter.com/eyLSuJAVAC
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 5, 2021
The Stanford women's basketball team earned the school's first title since 1992 and the third overall for the program under head coach Tara VanDerveer.
VanDerveer's 29-year gap between her winning titles is the longest in Division I men's or women's history.
On Monday, Baylor and Gonzaga will face off in the men's championship game in Indiana.
