University of Delaware head coach Natasha Adair works with players during the USA Basketball Women’s Under-18 Team Trials in May 2018 at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Many of those players are on the Under-19 team that begins World Cup play July 20.

Team USA basketball

Article by Athletic Department Staff Photo courtesy of USA Basketball July 16, 2019

UD women’s head coach Natasha Adair assists U.S. team in World Cup

University of Delaware women’s basketball head coach Natasha Adair is an assistant coach for USA Basketball at the 2019 FIBA Women’s Under-19 World Cup.

Adair and the team have been in Tokyo practicing in advance of a Tuesday, July 16 flight to Bangkok, which is the site of the World Cup tournament.

“To be a part of USA Basketball is an honor,” Adair said. “I get to wear red, white and blue, aside from my blue and gold, of course, and stand for something bigger than myself.”

The USA starts pool play against Australia on Saturday July 20. Adair previously helped coach the U18 National Team to a gold medal in 2018.

“To coach some of the best players in the country,” Adair said, “and then come back and implement or reiterate all the things that we’re doing here, and let our players know that, ‘You know what? You have some of those qualities and you’re capable of doing those things.’ It’s a dream come true.”

Adair begins her third season as UD’s coach in the fall.

University of Delaware head coach Natasha Adair at practice with the USA Basketball Women’s Under-19 Team in Tokyo before the squad traveled to Bangkok for the U19 World Cup.