James Adams
IU Columbus has announced James Adams and Dana Dunson as coaches for its first men’s and women’s basketball teams, which will begin play in the 2024-25 season.
Adams has coached at the high school, collegiate and semipro level in Madison, Wisconsin and was the 2018 Big Eight Conference Coach of the Year. He has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Upper Iowa University and a master’s in sports and recreational science from Ohio University.
“I want to bring exciting basketball to the area,” Adams said in a news release. “My goal is to build a team that the entire community will be proud of because of the players’ hard work and dedication to the game and classroom.”
Dana Dunson
Dunson also has coached at the high school, college and men’s semipro levels in Louisiana. He was an All-Conference player at Drake, earned his bachelor’s in liberal arts from LSU and a master’s of divinity in theology studies from Missionary Chapel Academy.
“I love the challenge and the opportunity to become a part of a startup program,” Dunson said. “I look forward to helping build the team from scratch, and seeing it grow and become successful.”
Pati Lara
Meanwhile, Pati Lara will coach the Crimson Pride’s new cheer and dance team. Lara was head instructor and choreographer of the Elite Academy of Dance in Texas for more than 20 years. She graduated from UTEP and has a Texas Educator Certification and is a certified member of the Texas Association Teachers of Dancing.
“I look forward to building a new cheer and dance program because it’s a great opportunity to bring people together, create a sense of community, and promote school spirit and pride,” Lara said.
All three coaches plan to move to Columbus in the coming weeks to begin recruiting for their first seasons.
