On Monday, Kellie Harper was introduced as the new head coach of the Mizzou women’s basketball program. Harper brings a wealth of experience and success to the role, boasting a strong record with 16 postseason appearances in 20 seasons as a Division I head coach, including nine NCAA Tournament appearances. She becomes the fifth head coach in the history of Mizzou women’s basketball.
Harper’s impressive coaching career includes significant achievements as a player and coach in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), where she has excelled in recruiting and developing top-tier talent. Known for her leadership and ability to cultivate championship-winning teams, Harper is recognized as one of only two coaches in women’s college basketball history to lead four different programs to the NCAA Tournament.
“Coach Harper is a proven leader. She understands what it takes to win. She knows the standards and expectations that are required to truly build a championship-level program. She’s demonstrated a true will to win, not only as a coach, but as a student-athlete at the highest level in the SEC,” said Director of Athletics Laird Veatch.
Harper, a native of Sparta, Tennessee, returns to Missouri following her tenure at Tennessee, where she revitalized the Lady Vols program and achieved notable success in the SEC. Her coaching career spans various universities, including Western Carolina, North Carolina State, and Missouri State, where she consistently led teams to postseason success and earned multiple coaching accolades.
Harper’s return to Missouri signifies a homecoming, bringing her expertise and championship mindset to further elevate Mizzou women’s basketball. Her appointment is seen as a strategic move to advance the program’s competitiveness within the SEC and nationally, drawing on her deep ties to both the state and the conference.
“For us, I think there’s a couple things I felt we always have done a good job of is taking advantage of our strengths as a team on the court. What are we good at, and let’s do it,” said Harper. “It’s a little bit hard to define that because we are still building a roster, but that is overall how we want to do things. We’re gonna be tough. We’re gonna enjoy the process. They better lock-in, every day they walk in they better feel good about it, because they can walk right out if they don’t. I love what I do and they’re not gonna ruin it for me. I already told them that so they’re fine. I want our fans to see the passion that our players will have and that will come through with how we play.”
Harper will have an uphill battle. The Tigers are 5-27 in SEC play over the last two seasons.