Nicole Powell, arguably the greatest female athlete in Arizona high school history, is leaving Grand Canyon University as head women’s basketball coach.

She is taking a similar position at UC Riverside, GCU confirmed.

An immediate national search is underway for GCU’s next women’s basketball head coach, the school announced.

She served three seasons at GCU, going 38-46.

Powell, who starred at Phoenix Mountain Pointe High School in 2000, before moving onto Stanford and then the WNBA, could not be immediately reached for comment.

“GCU thanks Coach Powell for her three years of service to the university, and we wish her the best of luck in her new position,” Interim Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs said in a release. “We will move quickly to identify a new head women’s basketball coach. The university’s support of our women’s basketball program makes this a very attractive position in the national landscape.”

Powell had a bounce-back 2019-20 season, improving on eight games from her first year and finishing second in the WAC during the regular season.

GCU’s women’s season was cut short on the first day of the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas, because of an illness of a student-athlete thought to have coronavirus. That athlete did not have the virus that has closed leagues and college campuses all over the country.

Jada Holland of GCU was named the WAC Freshman and Newcomer of the Year.

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.

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