Gainesville hires Jan Azar less than a week after her 17th state championship

Gainesville has hired 17-time girls basketball state champion coach Jan Azar, who won the Class 3A-A Private title last Wednesday.

The news was confirmed by Gainesville athletic director Adam Lindsey.

Azar, who has more basketball state championships than any coach in GHSA history, was Hebron Christian’s head coach for the last seven years. She led the Lions to four state championships during that time.

Hebron Christian announced a “transition of leadership” in the program on Monday in a brief post.

Gainesville finished 11-16 this season and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. The program was in the market for a new head coach, and Lindsey said Azar was his top candidate.

“I was looking at those that had built programs and had elite level of success, and I kept coming back to one name, and that was Jan Azar,” Lindsey said. “We were able to connect with each other, and we both agreed it was the right time for her and the right place for us.

“It’s kind of a no-brainer if you can get her to say yes.”

Lindsey said the two didn’t need to speak for long — he reached out at the end of last week and came to an agreement within the next few days.

Lindsey also added that he had never spoken to Azar before nor had the two previously crossed paths.

“We’ve always been about the culture piece and taking care of the details, and then the wins come themselves,” Lindsey said. “That’s how she ran her program, and she’s clearly a proven builder, and that’s kind of what we needed.”

Lindsey also said Demetrius Frazier, a longtime assistant of Azar’s, will join her staff at Gainesville.

Azar made her name at Wesleyan, another private school in Gwinnett County. She won 13 state championships from 1997 to 2019 before leaving for Hebron Christian.