Randy Norton - Head Coach - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Randy Norton

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
Alma Mater:
Iowa '86
Experience:
13th season
Hometown:
Iowa City, Iowa

Randy Norton enters his 13th season as the UAB women’s basketball head coach in the 2025-26 season.

Since Norton arrived on campus in 2013, he’s guided the Blazers to at least 15 wins in 10 out of 12 seasons. In UAB’s second season in the American Athletic Conference, he led the Blazers to an 16-16 overall record and went 7-11 in league play and is the second wingiest head coach in program history. Norton guided UAB to its second consecutive postseason bid in the WNIT during the 2024-25 season. It marked the eighth all-time appearance and fifth under Norton.

From 2017-2020, he led the Green and Gold to three consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in school history. He led UAB to its first C-USA Regular Season title in 2017-18. Norton was named the 2017-18 C-USA Coach of the Year after leading the Blazers to a record-setting 27-7 overall record and a 13-3 conference record. The Blazers have finished with 12 or more conference wins from 2017-2020.

The Blazers have also found success in the classroom under the direction of Norton. The team has recorded 17 straight semesters with a 3.0 GPA and have earned the Conference USA Academic Excellence Award three times (2017-18, 2019-20, 2020-21).

Norton Notes:

211-159 overall record in 12 seasons
2017-18 Conference USA Coach of the Year
Guided the team to its first ever C-USA Regular Season title in 2017-18
Coached 17 All-Conference USA Team members, including five first-team selections in Karisma Chapman (2013-14), Janae Smith (2014-15), Rachel Childress (2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20), Deanna Kuzmanic (2017-18) and Zakyia Weathersby (2021-22)
Coached two AAC All-Conference Third Team selections (Denim DeShields and Mia Moore; 2023-24) and an All-Newcomer Team member (Mia Moore; 2023-24) in UAB’s first season in the American conference
Guided Jade Weathersby (2024-25) to AAC All-Conference Second Team in the Blazers second season in the American Conference
Responsible for three UAB’s five largest wins inside Bartow Arena (Miles 106-48 Dec. 28, 2016, Tuskegee 105-50 Dec. 30, 2017, and Mississippi Valley State 80-33 Dec. 5, 2015)
Ranks third in wins among first-time head coaches hired for the 2013-14 season
Second wingiest head coach in UAB program history

2013-14

UAB shot 33.7 percent from deep, the sixth highest percentage in program history
The Blazers swatted 141 shots, the most by a team in UAB history
Karisma Chapman earned First-Team All-Conference USA honors after averaging 20.6 points per game including 16 double-doubles in her senior campaign

2014-15

Finished the season with an 18-13 record and 11-7 mark in league play
UAB’s 36.1 percent mark from long range ranks second for 3-point field goal percentage in program history
The team drained 198 3-pointers, the fourth most by a team in program history
The Blazers shot a combined 75.2 percent (361-of-480) from the free-throw line, the second highest percentage in program history
Janae Smith earned a spot on the First-Team All-Conference USA squad

2015-16

The Blazers held their opponents to the lowest rebound average in UAB history (32.7)
UAB tallied 130 blocked shots, the third most by a team in program history
The Blazers led C-USA in scoring defense, holding opponents to just 57.2 points per contest
Chelsee Black and Brittany Winborne were named to the All-Conference USA Second Team
Deanna Kuzmanic garnered C-USA All-Freshman Team honors
The Blazers recorded a 3.39 cumulative team GPA, the highest team mark since 2006

2016-17

The Blazers shot a UAB record 37.3 percent from the 3-point line
UAB drained 218 3-pointers, the second most by a team in a single season in program history
The Blazers connected on 187 3-pointers in league action, breaking the C-USA record for 3-pointers made by a team in a single season
UAB’s 37.3 percent from beyond the arc in league play marked fifth-highest percentage shot by a team in C-USA history
The Blazers 58-point victory over Miles was the second largest win in program history
Rachael Childress took home the 2017 Freshman of the Year award, just the fourth Blazer to earn the honor
Two All-Freshman team members in Rachael Childress and Miyah Barnes
Sophomore Deanna Kuzmanic earned the league’s Spirit of Service Award, which aims to recognize the community service efforts of the league’s student-athletes, based upon significant community service, good academic standing and participation in their elected sports
Kuzmanic was one of just five players named to the league’s all-academic team. In order to be eligible, student-athletes have to maintain a 3.2 GPA and be a valuable contributor to the team. Kuzmanic joins four other student-athletes

2017-18

Guided the Blazers to their first-ever Conference USA Regular Season title, the program’s first title since winning the 1993-94 Great Midwest Regular Season crown
Named Conference USA Coach of the Year, the first UAB coach to garner the recognition in the C-USA era and the first Coach of the Year award winner since Jeannie Milling earned Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors in 1989-90
UAB recorded the most wins in program history with a 27-7 overall recorded, while their 13-3 record in C-USA play was the most in conference wins in school history
Helped UAB earn its first 20-win season since 2010-11 and the ninth all-time
Finished 72 in the women's basketball RPI and remained in the top-100 throughout conference play for the first time in program history
Coached the Green and Gold to their first appearance in the postseason since the 2010-11 season
Guided UAB to its first postseason victory since winning the WBI title game, 68-60, over Cal State Bakersfield on March 27, 2011 and its first win in the WNIT since an 81-77 decision over Davidson on March 15, 2007 with its 60-50 win over Chattanooga
Saw the team break multiple school records, including made 3-pointers in a season (267), 3-point field goal percentage (37.6), assists (590), assist/turnover ratio (1.5), while breaking single-game school records in made 3-pointers (17) and assists (34)
Three All-Conference USA players in Rachael Childress (first team), Deanna Kuzmanic (first team) and Miyah Barnes (first team)
Rachael Childress earned Conference USA Player of the Week (02/05/18) as well as National Player of the Week as part of the NCAA Starting Five (02/07/18)
Deanna Kuzmanic was named to the Academic All-Conference team for the second time in her career, becoming the third player in program history to garner the recognition twice. She also was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 team, the second player in program history to do so
Under Norton, Kuzmanic became the 28^th member of UAB’s 1,000-point club with a career-high 35 points against Louisiana Tech on Feb. 24
Conference USA Academic Excellence Award winners

2018-19

Led the Blazers to a second straight 25+ win season going 26-7 overall and 12-4 in C-USA play
Coached three players to All-Conference honors, including two-time first-team All Conference selection Rachael Childress
Went on a 10 game win streak from Nov. 28-Jan. 5, the longest in his time at UAB
Guided UAB to the second round of the WNIT tournament, defeating Troy in the first round 93-89
Statement victory over Oklahoma in the Bahamas Nov. 22
Set program records for 3-pointers made (291) and triples attempted (811), triples in a game (18) against Coppin State Dec. 20
Nine players named to C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll
Three players C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal earners

2019-20

Guided the Blazers to their third straight 20 win season for the first time in program history and third straight season with 12 or more conference wins
Coached two players to All-Conference honors, including three-time All-Conference First Team selection Rachael Childress
Earned a win over in-state rival Auburn (Nov. 21) for the first time since 1992
Gave Old Dominion two of their six losses including an OT victory in Norfolk (March 5) to give the Monarchs their only home loss of the season
Set program record for 3-point FG% in a season (38.1%) which ranks third best in C-USA single-season history
Coached Rachael Childress to Top-5 NCAA All-Time 3-pointers made, C-USA career record for 3-pointers made and UAB program record for 3-pointers made
Over a dozen players named to C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll
Two players earned C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal
Two players named CoSIDA District 4 All-Academic First Team
Conference USA Academic Excellence Award winners

2020-21

Norton became the second winningest coach in program history after UAB's 78-58 win over Chattanooga on Dec. 6, surpassing Audra Smith's 138 wins
Coached three players to All-Conference USA Teams, with Margaret Whitley and Zakyia Weathersby being named to the All-Conference USA Second Team and Caitlynn Daniels to the All-Freshman Team
All 15 student-athletes on the roster made the 2020-21 Conference USA Honor Roll, with four earning the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal

2021-22

Weathersby was named First Team All-Conference and to the All-Defensive Team
Became second coach in UAB hisory to surpass 150 victories'
Margaret Whitley scored her 1,000th career point

2022-23

Guided Margaret Whitley to an All-Conference USA Second Team selection and Denim DeShields to a Conference USA All-Freshman Team selection
Denim DeShields named Conference USA Freshman of the Week three times
The Blazers drained 252 3-pointers, ranking fourth in program history
Ranked first in the record book with .760 free throws
Coached the 14th largest margin of victory (45, 101-56) against Mississippi Valley State

2023-24

First season in the American conference
Finished the with an 18-14 record and 9-9 in conference play
One player named AAC Player of the Week (Mia Moore), one player named AAC Freshman of the Week (Jade Weathersby, 2x) and two players selected to AAC Honor Roll (Mia Moore, 4x and Denim DeShields, 3x)
Guided Mia Moore to an AAC All-Newcomer Team and All-Conference Third Team selection and Denim DeShields to an All-Conference Third Team selection
Broke the school record for most made threes in a single game (20) at Tulane
UAB tallied 271 3-point field goals, second most by a team in program history
Tied for fifth in the program history with a .357 3-point field goal percentage
Averaged a .765 free throw percentage for the highest average in UAB history

2024-25

Finished with a 16-16 record and 7-11 in conference play
Earned his 200th career win with an 87-66 victory over Southern Miss on Dec. 1
Two players earned AAC Honorable Mention (Sara Bershers and Jade Weathersby)
Guided Jade Weathersby to AAC All-Conference Second Team
Finished the season ranked 25th nationally and third in the AAC in defensive rebounds per game (28.2)
Ranked 26th nationally and first in the AAC in 3-point field goals per game (8.4)
Ranked 31st nationally and first in the AAC in blocks per game (4.4)
In the AAC, finished ranked in the top five in five categories: assists per game (3rd – 14.3), free throw percentage (3rd – 72.8), field goal percentage (3rd – 41.4), 3-point field goal percentage (3rd – 33.2) and points per game (5th – 67.0)
Helped guide eight different players to totaling 98 double figure scoring games

Prior to UAB
Prior to UAB, Norton spent three years as the Associate Head Coach at Missouri and seven years as an assistant at Illinois State under Robin Pingeton. In ten years as an assistant, Norton helped guide his teams to six postseason berths, including the 2005 and 2008 NCAA Tournament.

Playing Career
A 1986 graduate of the University of Iowa, Norton played both basketball and baseball for the Hawkeyes. On the hardwood, he was a guard on 1979 Big Ten Conference title team and the 1980 team that advanced to the NCAA Final Four.

On the diamond, Norton was a four-year letterwinner for the Hawkeyes. He spent three seasons in the Montreal Expos (now Washington Nationals) organization before moving into coaching.

Personal
An Iowa City, Iowa, native, Norton and his wife Claire, have four children: Tom, Carly, Allie and Nick along with 13 grandchildren. Tom and Allie graduated from Truman State, Carly graduated from St. Ambrose, where all three played college basketball. Nick is a graduate from UAB and was a three-year starter at point guard for the men’s basketball team before finishing his career at Drake University. Nick is currently on the men's basketball staff at Indiana as Assistant Coach.