The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Wednesday the hiring of Danny Hughes as the associate head coach for women’s basketball. 
 
Hughes joins UTRGV after spending six seasons (2018-24) coaching the South Florida (USF) Bulls. He was originally hired as a women’s basketball assistant coach in May 2018 and was elevated to assistant head coach in August 2020. 
 
Hughes helped USF go 127-63 (.668) over his six seasons and capture three American Athletic Conference titles. Hughes made three trips to the NCAA Tournament at USF in 2023, 2022 and 2021. He helped the Bulls earn two NCAA Tournament victories, first defeating #9 Washington State in the first round of the 2021 tournament and then beating #9 Marquette in an overtime first-round game in 2023. USF was ranked as high as #18 by USA Today in the 2020-21 season in which the Bulls claimed the American regular season and tournament titles while being ranked as high as #19 by the Associated Press. In 2022-23, USF was ranked as high as #25 by the Associated Press and won the American regular season championship. Hughes helped USF reach the second round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) in his first season. 
 
“Danny Hughes brings championship experience, an NCAA Tournament pedigree, and a track record of developing elite players at the highest level,” head women’s basketball coach Lane Lord said. “Danny is a proven leader who knows how to build, sustain and elevate programs. We are excited to have him on our staff because he values relationships, demands excellence, and he understands what it takes to win the right way.” 
 
At USF, Hughes worked closely with the power forwards and point guards and coached several All-Conference selections, including Bethy Mununga, a two-time Katrina McClain Award candidate as the nation’s top power forward and a First Team, Second Team and two-time All-Tournament Team honoree in the AAC. Hughes developed guards Sydni Harvey and Elisa Pinzan. Harvey made The American All-Conference Third Team and was named the Most Outstanding Player and All-Tournament Team at the 2020-21 conference championships. Pinzan was a Second Team All-Conference selection and the AAC’s Most Improved Player during the 2020-21 season. 
 
Hughes worked independently as a scout and video coordinator during the 2024-25 NCAA season.
 
Prior to USF, Hughes was the associate head coach at UMass from 2016-18 and an assistant coach at SMU from 2009-16. He spent the 2008-09 season as an assistant at St. John’s after three seasons (2005-08) at Houston, where he was an assistant coach and the interim head coach in 2008. Hughes did two stints at Trinity Valley Community College, first in 1991-92 before returning as an assistant from 2001-05. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Sam Houston State (1990-91) before serving as the athletic director and head boys basketball coach at Cross Roads High School in Texas from 1992-00. 
 
At SMU, Hughes helped the Mustangs earn back-to-back postseason appearances and the 2012-13 Conference USA Championship while coaching C-USA Player of the Year Keena Mays. 
 
At St. John’s, Hughes helped guide the team to the third round of the WNIT and coached Monique McLean to the All-Big East Second Team. 
 
At Houston, Hughes oversaw recruiting, compliance, fundraising, practice, game preparation, and coordination for scouting reports. He led the team to a 15-16 mark as the interim head coach in 2008, the program’s best record in three years. The Cougars won eight consecutive conference games, marking their longest such streak in four years, and earned the first first-round bye in the C-USA Tournament in three years. 
 
Hughes coached Trinity Valley to the Region XIV playoffs three teams and helped develop the top junior college player in America in 2001. At Cross Roads High School, Hughes tallied a 123-89 coaching record and a state playoff appearance.
 
Hughes was a standout player before beginning his coaching career. He played two seasons at TVCC, earning All-Region and All-League honors after helping the team to a combined 44-15 record. He was the team MVP as a sophomore and was selected to play on the National Junior College All-Star Team comprised of the top 12 JUCO players in the country. 
 
The prolific three-point shooter went on to be a two-year starting shooting guard at TCU and a two-time winner of the Jim Killingsworth MVP award given to the team’s top player each season. In two seasons (1987-89), Hughes shot 45% (108-240) from the three-point line – ranking third on TCU’s career list. He shot 45.2% (70-155) from behind the arc during the 1988-89 season – ranking second on the single-season all-time list. 
 
Hughes was inducted into the TVCC Hall of Fame in 2010. He was the first inductee into the Cross Roads High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. 
 
Hughes hails from Athens, Texas and received a bachelor in kinesiology from TCU. Hughes and his wife, Quinn, have two daughters, Griffin and Grayson. 

https://goutrgv.com/news/2026/5/6/womens-basketball-adds-danny-hughes-as-associate-head-coach.aspx

Tagged with: Southland