Former BYU head women’s basketball coach Jeff Judkins is heading home.
The Utah women’s basketball program is hiring Judkins as an assistant coach for player development. He will also serve as the community ambassador. In that role, he will work with the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Institute at the university.
“This opportunity allows me to contribute to the university and the women’s basketball program,” Judkins said in a prepared statement. “But most importantly, it allows me to stay in the game I love so much.”
Judkins last coached at BYU in the 2021-22 season. He took his team the NCAA Tournament, but unexpectedly announced his retirement following the season.
He was replaced by Amber Whiting, who was hired after a successful stint at the high school level.
Judkins was the head coach at BYU for 21 years and won over 450 games. He went to 10 NCAA Tournaments and remains the winningest coach in program history.
While at BYU, Judkins coached against current Utah coach Lynne Roberts when she was at Pacific. Both teams played in the West Coast Conference.
The move will be a homecoming for Judkins, who played at the University of Utah, going to two NCAA Tournaments as a Ute. After he was drafted by the Boston Celtics, he returned to coach at Utah for a decade (1989-99).
He was Rick Majerus’ assistant when the Utes went to seven more postseasons. In 1998, Utah made it to the national championship game, losing to Kentucky.
Judkins would leave after 1999 to become the head coach at BYU.
“I’ve always enjoyed his insights,” Roberts said. “And as a competitor of BYU for well over a decade, I have experienced firsthand what tremendous basketball strategies he holds and the strong player development he will bring to our program.”
