Head coach Niya Butts and the Arizona women's basketball team open the 2012-13 season on Monday, Nov. 5 to host Grand Canyon University at McKale Center. The exhibition contest will begin at 7 p.m. MST.
First-year Arizona assistant recognized in her hometown this weekend.
E.C. Hill is in her third season as an assistant coach with the University of Arizona Wildcat women's basketball staff. She comes to Arizona after spending the previous six seasons as an assistant coach at Northern Illinois.
"We're very excited for E.C. to join our staff," Butts said. "She's a tremendous asset and she has tons of experience as a player. She's played at the level that our players are aspiring to be at. She has lots of energy and that's a must when you are rebuilding a program. We're excited for E.C. to join our Wildcat family."
With the Wildcats, Hill works on the development of perimeter players, scouting opponents, game preparation and recruiting. She also handles scheduling games.
"This is a great opportunity to work for Niya Butts," Hill said. "She's one of the greats in the coaching profession and I know I can learn a lot from her. I'm excited to join the staff with Niya, Sue Darling and Brandy Manning. Arizona is coming off a great season and I'm excited to be part of the future of Wildcat women's basketball."
Hill served as a position coach for Arizona standout Davellyn Whyte, coaching her from her sophomore season to her senior season. Whyte finished her career as arguably the best player in Arizona women's basketball history and was the 16th overall pick in the WNBA draft in 2013.
In Hill's first campaign with UA in 2011-12, Arizona's 11-1 start was the best in program history since the 1999-2000 season. The Cats beat UCLA twice, the first a 74-66 victory at McKale Center on Jan. 5 and the second a Pac-12 Tournament 61-57 win on March 7. The January win marked UA's first over the Bruins since 2006-07 and the first in Tucson since 2004-05.
During her six seasons at NIU, her alma mater, Hill was instrumental in the development of perimeter players, scouting opponents, game preparation and recruiting.
Hill is an NIU Athletics and Illinois Basketball Coaches' Association Hall of Famer and her name can be found throughout the Northern Illinois women's basketball record book. As a player, she helped lead the Huskies to three-straight NCAA Tournament berths under NIU Hall of Fame coach Jane Albright.
She was named a first-team U.S. Basketball Writers' Association All-American, a Kodak District Four All-American, a preseason Street and Smith's and Basketball Times All-American, Mid-Continent Conference Player of the Year, first-team All-Mid-Con and All-Mid-Con Tournament on a 25-6 NCAA Tourney squad that won the 1993-94 Mid-Con regular-season title with an 18-0 record.
Hill led the league and ranked 16th nationally in scoring (22.0 ppg.). A two-time Northern Illinois MVP (1992-93, 1993-94), Hill was named the North Star Conference Newcomer of the Year with a 14.2 points per game average in 1991-92.
Hill played professional basketball for the New England Blizzard (1996-99) and Chicago Condors (1998-99) in the American Basketball League, with the Charlotte Sting (2000), Phoenix Mercury (2001), Los Angeles Sparks (2001) and Orlando Miracle (2002) in the WNBA and in many cities in Europe.
Hill's first coaching opportunity came at Robert Morris College in Chicago. She served as head coach during the 2004-05 season before returning to NIU for the 2005-06 campaign.
She graduated from Northern Illinois in 1995 with a degree in communications. Hill has a daughter, Asia Janay Murray. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.