Adams began her coaching career in 1987 as a girls' basketball assistant coach at Belle Plaine High School in
Belle Plaine, Kansas while studying at
Southwestern College, from which she would ultimately graduate in 1989. After graduating from Southwestern, Adams joined Winfield High School in
Winfield, Kansas and coached softball, volleyball, and track before ultimately settling on basketball full-time in 1991. In 1994, Adams became a women's basketball assistant coach at
Independence Community College; she was also a men's and women's tennis coach in the 1994–95 season. Adams is credited with building a successful women's basketball program that also "encourages interaction between players and fans." She was inducted into the
El Paso Women's Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2016, she was recognized as the
Conference USA Coach of the Year.
Wichita State (2017–2023) Adams resigned from UTEP to become head coach at
Wichita State on March 29, 2017.
UTEP (2023–present) In 2023, Adams returned as head coach for UTEP. ==Head coaching record==