Loyola Marymount University Athletics

Coach A in the Media          
Impact Players Under Coach A    
Aarika Hughes completed her fourth season as head coach of the LMU Lions Women's Basketball program this 2024-25 season.

In the 2025 season, Hughes led the Lions to their strongest start since taking the helm, opening the year with an impressive 6-1 record. A defining moment of the season came in a comeback victory over the San Francisco Dons, where LMU overcame a 19-point deficit; the program’s largest comeback win in the past decade.

Under the leadership of Hughes and her staff, graduate student Naudia Evans earned WCC All-Conference Second Team honors. Evans delivered an outstanding season, highlighted by multiple double-doubles, a WCC Player of the Week nod, and a career-high 37-point performance against Washington State, ranking second all-time in LMU’s single-game scoring history. She also climbed to the top of the national leaderboard in assists per game, consistently ranking among the country's best.

The Lions concluded the season with an overall record of 14-16 record, which is the best finish to date during Hughes tenure at LMU.

Hughes was hired as the program's Head Coach in April 2021 by Athletic Director Craig Pintens and will enter her second season with the Lions. 
 
Hughes joins LMU from the University of Southern California where she has served as associate head coach since 2019 and been part of the coaching staff for four years.
 
"Aarika is going to make a tremendous impact on the lives of our student-athletes," said Pintens. "As one of the country's top assistant coaches, she has demonstrated her ability to develop relationships, coach, and recruit at the highest level. Coach Hughes' blueprint for our program is inspiring and will help us compete for championships."
 
Well known for her leadership, The Athletic magazine named Hughes among its top 21 assistant coaches for 2021. The Women's Basketball Coaches Association previously named her "Top Thirty Coaches Under 30." Hughes also served with the USC Athletics Black Lives Matter Action Team. 
 
Hughes brings a wealth of experience as a coach and a standout student-athlete. At USC, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in sociology, she led the women's basketball team as captain from 2007-2010. In 2007, she ranked third all-time at the school for a single-season 3-point shooting average (.409).
 
With a proven ability to recruit and mentor outstanding student-athletes, Hughes returned to her alma mater in 2017. Hughes helped sign two top-7 ranked recruiting classes in four seasons with the Trojans, including three McDonald's All-American selections.
 
Hughes began her coaching career in New Mexico with five seasons as an assistant at New Mexico State (2011-16) and a year at the University of New Mexico (2016-17). During her time with the Aggies, Hughes helped lead NMSU to two NCAA Tournaments and two WAC championships in 2014 and 2015. At all three of her coaching stops, Hughes has mentored a number of All-Conference (9) and All-Academic selections, including conference tournament most valuable players, conference players of the years, and conference freshman of the year. Hughes boasts a roster of seven former players who have transitioned into the professional ranks. Additionally, she earned recognition as one of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Top 30 Coaches Under 30.
 
"I am so humbled and grateful for the opportunity to be the next Head Coach for the LMU women's basketball program," said Hughes. "I want to thank Craig Pintens and Ashley Armstrong for selecting me to be the leader of this team. I am truly blessed and I can't wait to get started with these wonderful young women."

Coaching Experience  
Playing Experience
          2006– 2010       USC