There is a new Wildcat in Adia Barnes’ house.
The UA women’s basketball coach gave birth to a baby girl, Capri Adia, Tuesday morning at Banner-University Medical Center. Baby Capri joins big brother Matteo, who is 5.
Salvo Coppa, Barnes’ husband and a Wildcats assistant coach, said that Barnes and the baby are doing well. By Tuesday afternoon, Capri had broken loose from her swaddle and was “already posting up,” Coppa said. She weighs 8 pounds 13 ounces and is 20.5 inches tall.
“Capri looks just like Matteo when he was born — he was 9ƒ pounds. Same round face and head,” he said.
Coppa said Capri’s cesarean-section birth was different than Matteo’s, in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said there was “lots of silence and very few people helping.”
“(And) lots of paying attention to masks,” Coppa said. “I even fell asleep with my mask on.”
Capri Coppa was named after the island in the south of Italy.
There’s a personal connection for her parents. When Barnes lived in Naples, her apartment had a view of the island. Coppa and Barnes went to the island on one of their first dates.
The baby’s middle name, Adia, was a no-brainer. “It was only fair,” Coppa said. “(Barnes) did everything.”
Barnes will take two weeks off for maternity leave. Coppa is expected to miss three days, then return on a limited schedule for a few weeks. The NCAA is expected to announce Wednesday when teams can begin practicing and playing.
In the days leading up to Capri’s birth, Barnes kept up her demanding schedule. She coached and recruited, all while doing last-minute baby prep.
She, Coppa and Matteo took part in one last photo shoot as a family of three.
Sleep didn’t come easy. Tuesday morning, Barnes posted a photo to Instagram from the hospital parking lot. “Go time,” read the caption. Capri was born at 9:07 a.m.
Barnes, 43, is entering her fifth season as Arizona’s coach.
The Wildcats won the 2019 WNIT championship and were poised to host NCAA Tournament games last spring before the pandemic hit.
The UA has been picked No. 7 in the country in ESPN’s way-too-early poll.
Today in sports history: Sept. 17
Today in Sports History: September 17th
