The Missouri Tigers have officially hired the fifth coach in program history in former Missouri State and Tennessee women’s basketball coach Kellie Harper, the team announced Tuesday. Harper will become the program's fourth coach since the NCAA added women's basketball, joining Joann Rutherford (1975-1998), Cindy Stein (1998-2010) and Robin Pingeton (2010-2025).
"I am incredibly honored to be the next head coach at Mizzou," Harper said. "Missouri is a special place, and I know firsthand the passion and pride that surrounds this program. Our family is excited to return to the state of Missouri. I look forward to working with our leadership and our student-athletes, building strong relationships throughout the community and winning championships in Columbia. The foundation is in place for success - and I can't wait to get started."
Harper began her coaching career as an assistant at Auburn, then spent three years at Chattanooga before getting her first head coaching position at Western Carolina where she went 97-65 overall and 62-32 in Southern Conference play while making two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
She then led the North Carolina State Wolfpack for four years, going 70-64 overall and 23-39 in the ACC and going to the NCAA Tournament once.
She then spent six years at Missouri State, leading the Lady Bears to a 118-79 record overall and 78-30 in the Missouri Valley Conference, including two NCAA Tournament appearances and a run to the Sweet 16.
That run earned her the job at Tennessee where she went 108-52 across five seasons, including a 53-24 record in SEC play, four NCAA Tournament appearances (in four opportunities because of the canceled 2020 tournament), including two Sweet 16 runs.
She was let go from Tennessee after a 20-13, 10-6 season with an appearance in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in 2023-24.
"We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Kellie Harper and her family to Mizzou," Missouri athletic director Laird Veatch said. "Kellie is a proven winner and dynamic leader who understands the 'Will to Win; necessary to succeed at the sport's highest level. She is nationally respected and her experience in the SEC, her deep ties to the state of Missouri and her ability to recruit and develop championship-level players make her the ideal leader for our program. We are incredibly excited about the future of Mizzou women's basketball under her leadership."
Harper was a point guard at Tennessee under Pat Summit, winning three NCAA championships in 1996, 1997 and 1998, while also making the Elite Eight in 1999.
In 29 years of college basketball as a coach and player, Harper has made the postseason 24 times (17 NCAA/7 WNIT) with a combined record of 641-313. Her record as a head coach is 393-260.
"Kellie Hareper is a proven winer with a total commitment to excellence," Missouri President Mun Choi said. "She has developed a championship culture throughout her career and we know that she will elecate Mizzou women's basketball and build a program that all Missourians will be proud to celebrate."
She is one of only two coaches to guid four Division I women's programs to the NCAA Tournament.
Harper takes over after the conclusion of Pingeton’s 15-year stint at the helm of the Tiger program.
Missouri is coming off a season with a 14-18 overall record while going 3-13 in SEC play.The Tigers have not wont 20 games since 2018-19, the final year of a four-year NCAA Tournament streak.
Since then, the Tigers have averaged about 13 wins a season and have made the WNIT three times.
"I am thrilled for the hiring of Kellie Harper as Mizzou's next women's basketball coach," said former Mizzou All-American Sophie Cunningham. "Kellie and her husband, Jon, have experienced winning both in Missouri and in the SEC. I have so much respect for Coach Harper and I can't wait to support her and our Tigers however I can. I know from experience how incredible this fan base is when they're excited about women's basketball and I can't wait to get Mizzou Arena rockin! Congratulations to Laird, the Board of Curators and Mizzou Nation on a fantastic hire."
Harper's contract details were released March 25.
She will make $4.5 million across five seasons for an average of $900,000 per season. Which is a significant increase from Robin Pingeton's base pay of $500,000 per year with deferred payments that raised the average to about $650,000.
Harper will make $850,000 this season with an increase of $25,000 each year. Incentives could add as much as $450,000 each year.
Her incentives are:
$25,000 for Academic Performance
$50,000 for an SEC Championship
$25,000 for an SEC Tournament Championship
$25,000 for an NCAA Tournament appearance
$25,000 for making the Sweet 16
$50,000 for making the Elite 8
$75,000 for making the Final Four
$200,000 for winning a national championship
$25,000 for winning SEC Coach of the Year
$50,000 for winning National Coach of the Year
$25,000 for reaching 25 wins in a season
$50,000 for reaching 30 wins in a season.
The tournament and win incentives will be paid at the highest achievement reached and are not cumulative.
Harper has a $950,000 pool to hire assistant coaches and staff, which will consist of five assistants, a strength and conditioning coach, a director of operations, a director of creative content and a director of video and analytics.
If Missouri fires Harper without cause, the university will owe her 75 percent of the remaining guaranteed money on the contract paid in monthly installments. If she leaves Missouri, she will owe 50 percent of the remaining money within 60 day.s
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