When Molly Miller arrived in Tempe, she didn’t just inherit a basketball program. She was charged with rebuilding one.
The first-year coach faced the challenge of recreating an identity that had been lost in the three years since coach Charli Turner Thorne left the program. Miller had to reestablish trust and lay a new foundation for Arizona State women’s basketball to compete in a rapidly evolving college athletics landscape.
Sixteen months after her hiring, Miller believes the biggest visible change in the program is not the impressive results on the scoreboard.
“The best part about this is they’re building the culture in the locker room,” Miller said. “It’s from the inside out.”
That same philosophy helped inspire Molly’s Momentum, a newly launched
initiative focused on strengthening the women’s basketball program through community involvement, NIL opportunities and long-term support.
On Tuesday, ASU welcomed Sun Devil Club members and season-ticket holders to watch the women’s team during a workout at the Weatherup Center, giving supporters a closer look at the culture Miller is shaping.
For Miller, Molly’s Momentum is about more than financial support. It is about building a foundation for the future.
“It’s a connectivity with your fan base and your community of players,” Miller said. “This is an outlet for that.”
As college athletics continues to evolve, Miller believes programs must be willing to adapt. NIL has changed how teams recruit, retain talent and compete nationally.
“We’re here in this NIL space, and I think you have to embrace it,” she said.
The initiative provides a structure for supporters to invest in ASU women’s basketball while creating additional financial, marketing and community opportunities for the program’s players.
Megan Curry is the founder of AthleteZ PR, a company specializing in NCAA sports marketing, activations and NIL. Curry said Miller’s willingness to embrace change is one of her biggest strengths, describing Miller as a “yes woman” who is willing to consider new ideas, collaborate and pursue opportunities to grow the program.
In a landscape where coaches are expected to navigate recruiting, NIL and community engagement alongside building a winning team, Curry said Miller’s openness has helped position Arizona State for continued growth.
“Working alongside Molly Miller has been nothing short of a dream for our AthleteZ PR team,” Curry said.
When Miller took over the program, one of her biggest priorities was reestablishing an identity. She didn’t want that identity to be built solely around statistics or wins. She wanted it to be built around the people inside the program.
Miller said players such as senior forward McKinna Brackens helped shape the culture she envisioned because of their personalities and leadership.
“She’s hilarious. She’s warm, she’s welcoming, and she’s the face of this program,” Miller said. “I want to build this culture around kids like that – people who are fun to be around and have a good heart.”
That culture has continued to grow as returning players such as Brackens have embraced leadership roles and helped guide new teammates. Miller believes the strongest programs are built when players take ownership.
“You want a player-led locker room,” Miller said. “If I can pick anything, I want the players to control the narrative.”
Guard Amaya Williams has experienced that culture from both sides. As the only freshman on the roster when Miller arrived, Williams leaned on veteran teammates while learning a new system and adjusting to college basketball.
“It was pretty seamless, honestly,” Williams said. “I had a lot of the older players take me under their wing and they were really helpful with my transition from high school to college.”
Now entering her sophomore season, Williams is looking to become one of those leaders for the next group of newcomers.
“I want to talk more as a fourth guard and set a tone on defense,” Williams said.
That player-driven environment has allowed the program to develop chemistry while integrating new talent.
“The best thing is I don’t have to do as many examples,” Miller said. “I can say, ‘Bracken, show them what a defensive stance looks like. Amaya, take the charge.’”
Success on the court has helped Arizona State gain national attention. The Sun Devils are coming off a 24-win season and an NCAA Tournament appearance, creating momentum that Miller hopes to build upon. Even so, Miller believes the program’s culture is what will attract future players.
“Now that we’ve won and there’s buzz and momentum being generated, we’re getting on the phone with anyone,” Miller said. “We’ve got some incredible visits lined up and some high-profile recruits.”
For Miller, recruiting is about more than selling a basketball program. It is about showing athletes they can become part of something bigger. That message resonated with Williams, who said the coaching staff’s support played a major role in her decision to remain at Arizona State.
“Molly, the coaching staff — it’s really like a family,” Williams said. “I could text any one of them, ask them a question, call them, book a meeting in their office and just have a real conversation.”
Miller wants to establish a similar connection throughout the Valley via Molly’s Momentum.
“This is a whole new alumni base for me,” Miller said. “This is a whole new community and institution that I’ve really been able to dive in and love.”
That connection was visible during Tuesday’s workout, where supporters showed up not only to watch the team compete but also to become more involved with the program.
For Williams, seeing fans attend practice showed the growing connection between the team and the community.
“It’s nice to see that they want to support us, not even for a game, but to watch us practice,” Williams said. “I feel like that means a lot.”
For Miller, that relationship has been one of the most meaningful parts of her transition to Tempe.
“They love me back and that’s been the best part of this journey for me – the togetherness in such a short amount of time,” she said.
As ASU women’s basketball continues to grow, Miller believes the internal and external foundations she is laying will define the program. That identity will, in turn, build momentum.
“Our kids are happy,” she said. “We’ve developed some really good culture.”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How Molly Miller turned culture into momentum at Arizona State
