After five seasons at the helm, aiming to return the University of Tennessee women's basketball team to its former glory, Kellie Harper has been dismissed as the Lady Vols' head coach. The move comes in the wake of Tennessee's 79-72 loss to NC State in the NCAA Tournament's second round, marking an end to a season that fell short of expectations.
Danny White, the athletic director for Tennessee, made the announcement Monday, highlighting the difficulty of such a decision, especially considering Harper's deep ties to the program as a three-time national champion student-athlete.
“Decisions like these are never easy to make, especially with someone who has done so much for the Lady Vols as a three-time national champion student-athlete,” White said in a school release, per Cora Hall of the Knoxville News Sentinel. “Her love and passion for Tennessee and the Lady Vols is second to none. She has invested so much heart and soul into our program and truly has given her all for Tennessee. I thank Kellie for her stewardship of our women’s basketball program and wish her and Jon well in the next chapter of their lives.
“After seeking input from our student-athletes, I will begin an aggressive search process to find the next leader for our iconic women’s basketball program. To protect the integrity of this process, you will not hear from me until we are ready to announce our new head coach.”
Under Harper's guidance, Tennessee remained a competitive force in the SEC, consistently ranking among the conference's top teams. However, the team struggled to surpass this threshold and achieve greater success, particularly in matchups against top competition and advancing beyond the Sweet 16. Harper's tenure concluded with a 108-52 overall record and a 53-24 mark in conference play.
Reflecting on her time with the Lady Vols, Harper expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead at her alma mater. Despite the end of her coaching stint, Harper's contributions to Tennessee's basketball legacy remain undeniable, including leading the team to consecutive Sweet 16 appearances in recent years.
“It has been an honor to serve at my alma mater and to coach a Lady Vol program I love so dearly,” Harper said in a school release. “I am grateful for the opportunity my staff and I have had to lead an amazing group of young women and to mentor them on the court as well as provide them with life skills that will benefit them far beyond the game of basketball.”
Kellie Harper will get an over $2M buyout
Over the past three years, Harper received three contract renewals. The initial extension was awarded after her first two seasons in charge, followed by extensions after each of her successful Sweet 16 appearances.
After leading Tennessee to consecutive Sweet 16 appearances, Harper secured her third contract extension in April 2023, extending her contract until April 14, 2028. This extension also came with a salary increase, raising her annual compensation to $1.1 million and positioning her as the fourth highest-paid women's basketball coach in the SEC for the 2023-24 season.
However, because she was terminated without cause before her contract's expiration, she is entitled to a buyout of $2,222,916. The terms of her buyout experienced a significant change on Monday, reducing from 100% of her annual compensation through April 14, 2027, to 50% through the end of her contract period, as stipulated in her latest contractual agreement through April 14, 2028.
Lady Vols struggled this season
The Lady Vols faced challenges this season, starting with a significant setback when key player Rickea Jackson was injured early on, affecting the team's performance, including a notable loss to Middle Tennessee State. With Jackson's return, the team improved but still faced difficulties, ending SEC play with a less-than-ideal record.
Under Coach Kellie Harper's leadership, Tennessee managed only one victory against a ranked team, mirroring last season's performance and marking a downturn from the previous season's five ranked wins. The team's overall record this season (20-13) was slightly better than the 2018-19 season under previous coach Holly Warlick (19-13), but it still represented one of the lower points in recent history, especially in postseason play.
Recruiting challenges also emerged, with no new recruits signed for the 2023 class, a first for the program. This reliance on a few key players, particularly Jackson, underscored the team's vulnerabilities.
Despite these issues, Harper's tenure has had its highlights, including drafting several players into the WNBA, making two consecutive Sweet 16 appearances. and leading Tennessee to the 2023 SEC Tournament Championship game.
Hailing from Sparta, Harper carved a legacy at Tennessee as player under the legendary coach Pat Summitt, clinching three national titles between 1996 and 1998. Notably, her journey included an undefeated season in 1998, leading the Lady Vols to their third consecutive championship. Harper ended her college playing career with top 10 finishes in several categories, including assists and three-point metrics, currently holding the eighth spot in career assists.
Before taking the reins at Tennessee, Harper's coaching career saw her at Missouri State from 2013 to 2019, where she guided the Bears to a Sweet 16 appearance in 2019. Her coaching career at Power Five schools began at NC State, where she served from 2009 to 2013 until her departure following three consecutive misses in the NCAA Tournament. Harper's initial head coaching stint was with Western Carolina, achieving NCAA Tournament berths in her first and final seasons. Prior to that, she served as an assistant coach at Auburn and Chattanooga.
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