NCAA Coach Adia Barnes Reportedly Pumped Breast Milk During the Women’s Championship Game

“I had a baby right when season started and took, like, a week off,” Barnes said after Sunday’s game, according to Good Morning America. “It says I took a month off, but I did not. I was on Zoom calls four days after having a C-section, so it was hard, but my team loved on me. I missed a couple of weeks, I got a little sick, they fought for me. I came back. They were patient. I’m happy.”

She continued, “I represented moms. I have a baby here. I hear her crying ready to feed. I represent moms, you can be a coach, you can do it at an elite level. You just have to have a village like I do. I represent Black females, don’t get here too often and don’t get opportunities. But I had an opportunity today on the biggest stage and represented a lot.”

Adia Barnes made history last week, when she and University of South Carolina coach Dawn Staley led teams into the NCAA women’s basketball Final Four. It marked the first time two Black female coaches have ever had teams in the Final Four at the same time.