COACHING STAFF
ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH | EWA LASKOWSKA
After an outstanding collegiate career which ultimately resulted in her being inducted into the Independence Community College Hall of Fame in Oct. 2011, Ewa Laskowska has evolved into one of the top associate head coaches in her profession.
Laskowska spent the past six seasons as an assistant at Wichita State.
In her second stint with the Miners, Laskowska previously spent 16 seasons on staff at UTEP and has 24 years of experience overall as part of Keitha Adams's staff dating to the duo's time at ICC. She served as an assistant coach her first 12 years in El Paso but was elevated to associate head coach on July 29, 2013.
Laskowska has been an instrumental part in the Miners' success, helping them make four postseason bids (NCAA in 2012 and 2008; WNIT 2016 and 2014) and four league championships (2016 C-USA regular season, 2012 C-USA regular season and conference tournament and 2008 C-USA regular season) in school history.
She has been involved with all six 20+ win seasons and seven of the eight with 18+ victories The Miners have hit 20+ victories in four of the past five seasons, including a school-record tying 29 in 2015-16. Addiitonaly they are one of 10 programs in nation to win 29+ games in at least three of past five years.
Laskowska's efforts at UTEP have earned her the well-deserved reputation of being an outstanding domestic and international recruiter. In her time in the Sun City, she has attracted countless players rated by the All-Star Girls Report, along with securing commitments from some of the top international talent.
ASSISTANT COACH | JAREICA HUGHES
Jareica Hughes returned to her Alma Mater on May 19, 2023, after most recently serving as an interim head coach at Colby Community College in Colby, Kan. In addition to traditional basketball duties, she aided in academic support and strength and conditioning.
Before CCC Hughes was the head coach for freshmen and junior varsity and assistant coach for varsity basketball at Birmingham Groves HS from 2020-21. Prior to that she was the junior varsity head coach and varsity assistant coach at Southfield High School of the Arts and Technology for four years (2016-20). The team reached the final four of the state tournament twice during her tenure, including a trip to the championship game in 2019.
Hughes also has experience at the AAU level, serving as a head coach for the ninth grade Michigan Storm (2017-21).
Hughes played for the Miners from 2006-2010 and was one of the players that helped put UTEP women's basketball on the map. During her tenure, UTEP won a conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time. She was a two-time C-USA Player of the Year (2008,2009) and three-time All-Conference selection (2008,2009,2010). Hughes led the team in scoring and assists in all four seasons, and in steals and free-throw percentage on three occasions.
ASSISTANT COACH | LULU MCKINNEY
Lulu McKinney was named as an assistant coach on May 19, 2023, taking advantage of the opportunity to return to her Alma Mater. She spent the 2022-23 season as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois University, where she helped the Salukis advance to the quarterfinals in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.
Before making the jump to TSU, McKinney was the assistant coach for one year at East Mississippi Community College, where she helped lead the Lions to an 11-13 overall record (8-4 MACCC), with Tye Metcalf being named to the MACCC All-State/North Division First Team.