The University of Missouri has hired Kellie Harper as its next women’s basketball coach.

Harper makes her return to the benches of a Southeastern Conference program, having succeeded Holly Warlick as Tennessee’s head coach in 2019. During her five seasons with the Volunteers, Harper recorded a 108-52 record, with four appearances in the NCAA Tournament. However, Tennessee dismissed Harper after the 2024 season after the Vols failed to reach the Final Four or win a conference title in any of her five seasons.

Harper also makes her return to the Show-Me State, where she spent six seasons as head coach of the Missouri State Bears. While in Springfield, Harper went 118-79 with two Missouri Valley Conference titles and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 2019. She also has coaching stops at North Carolina State and Western Carolina.

Harper is a native of Tennessee and was a point guard on the Volunteers’ national championship teams in 1996, 1997, and 1998. She set a record for highest three-point shooting percentage in the 1998 tournament, which saw her named to the all-tournament team after the Volunteers cut down the nets at Kemper Arena in Kansas City.

A press conference at Mizzou Arena at a later date will formally introduce Harper as the fifth head coach in program history. She succeeds Robin Pingeton, who wrapped up her career at Mizzou after 15 seasons.