Mia Bell is the first and only Las Vegas native to both play and coach for the Lady Rebels. The former All-Mountain West selection was hired in September 2014 and the 2023-24 season will begin her 10th year as an assistant coach, now under the direction of Lindy La Rocque.
"I am thrilled to keep Mia Bell in the Lady Rebel program," said La Rocque. "As an alum, Mia’s pride for UNLV and passion for basketball is unmatched. Her work ethic and enthusiasm for growth will push our program forward. Mia’s familiarity with UNLV makes for a seamless transition, she will continue to impact our young ladies in a positive light and help them develop on and off the court.”
In 2023, Bell’s backcourt dominated the Mountain West Conference.
Senior point guard Essence Booker guided the ship for the league leader in scoring offense, scoring margin, field-goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage and assists. Booker ranked among the conference’s top 10 players in nearly every offensive category and was the lone Mountain West player to record multiple double-digit assist games.
Senior guard Justice Ethridge led the Mountain West in points per play and effective field-goal shooting. Ethridge was the league’s top guard (and fifth overall) with a .551 field-goal percentage and her 2.5 assists per game was the highest mark among non-PGs.
Sophomore Kiara Jackson earned MW Sixth Player of the Year honors after averaging 7.8 points and 2.3 assists.
Freshman Jasmyn Lott proved to be one of the league’s top newcomers. Lott recorded the highest free-throw percentage, PER, offensive rating and win shares per 40 minutes among the Mountain West’s freshmen. She also carried the second-best field-goal percentage and defensive rating.
The Lady Rebels set a program record with 31 wins, matched the program’s longest winning streak at 22 games and went undefeated at home for the first time since 1979. Only national champion LSU and perennial No. 1-ranked South Carolina had higher winning percentages than UNLV.
Bell’s guard instruction lifted UNLV to new heights in 2021-22 as the Lady Rebels swept the Mountain West regular-season and tournament championships for the first time, earning the program’s first bid to the NCAA Tournament since 2002.
Each of UNLV’s starting guards were award winners. Booker joined teammate Desi-Rae Young on the Mountain West’s 10-member all-conference team and dominated in the Mountain West Championship Tournament to earn MVP honors. Justice Ethridge was voted to the conference’s all-defensive team and Alyssa Durazo-Frescas joined the five-member Mountain West All-Freshman Team after leading the conference with a .440 3-point field goal percentage.
The Lady Rebels 26-7 overall record was its second best in their history with the most victories for the program in nearly three decades. UNLV lead the Mountain West in field-goal percentage and ranked among Division I’s top 25 teams for scoring offense, field-goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage. UNLV matched a single-game record twice by making 12 3-pointers in wins over Grambling (Nov. 28) and San Jose State (Feb. 19). The Lady Rebels’ .737 free-throw percentage marked another program record.
During her first six years on the bench, the Lady Rebels reached the postseason twice (WNIT in both 2016-17 and 2017-18) and won the school's first conference championship in 24 years as they claimed the 2017-18 Mountain West regular-season championship with a school-record 14-4 mark in MW play. She oversaw player development, seeing much success with the guards as three players (Dakota Gonzalez, Brooke Johnson (twice), Nikki Wheatley (twice)) earned All-MW honors over the past four seasons.
Bell was a starter from her first day on campus during the 2009-10 season. She still ranks in the top 10 all-time at UNLV in numerous statistical categories, including third all-time in total assists (434) and three-point percentage (36.2%). Bell was named third team all-conference as a junior after leading the Lady Rebels to their best record in the past 10 years, a 22-10 mark that included a second place finish in the league and a trip to the 2012 Postseason WNIT. That season she connected on a total of three game-winning shots, and had four game-winners in her career. She also tied the school record with 14 assists in a win at Nevada, Reno on Jan. 2, 2012.
"I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Coach La Rocque’s staff," said Bell. "I’ve had the privilege of knowing Lindy for well over a decade. She brings a wealth of knowledge and tons of success with her and I’m excited to assist her in building something special here at UNLV."
Bell received her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in December of 2013 in her final year on the team, after taking a medical redshirt during the 2012-13 campaign.
A graduate of Durango High School in 2009, where she was also a teammate of La Rocque's, she finished her high school career as the 2008-09 Gatorade Player of the Year for Nevada.
