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AthleticsCommunications
901 SOUTH NATIONAL AVENUE • SPRINGFIELD, MO 65897-0095Rick Kindhart, Asst. A.D. for Communications • Ben Adamson, Asst. Director • Tim Bohn, Asst. Director • Eric Doennig, Asst. Director
Phone (417) 836-5402 • www.missouristatebears.com
For immediate releaseApril 10, 2013
Missouri State Introduces Kellie Harper as Women’s Basketball CoachSPRINGFIELD -- One of the nation’s most-respected young coaches has been selected to lead the Missouri State Uni-versity Lady Bears basketball team. Kellie Harper, the former head coach at North Carolina State and Western Carolina, was announced as the seventh Lady Bears head coach at a news conference Wednesday (April 10) at JQH Arena.
Harper’sfive-yearagreementwillincludeabasesalaryof$145,000,plus$60,000forradioandtelevisionshows.Thecontract, which will be formally approved by the Missouri State Board of Governors at its next scheduled meeting May 16,alsoincludesperformanceincentives.
“Icouldn’tbehappierandmoreexcitedaboutthisopportunity.Thisprogramhasgreattradition,fantasticfacilitiesandasolidfanbase,”saidHarper.“It’safreshstartforLadyBearsBasketball.Thefutureisverybright,andwe’regoingto have high expectations to do something really special here.”
Harper,35,andherhusband,Jon--whoservedasanassistantcoachforheratbothWesternCarolinaandNCState--arrivedinSpringfieldTuesday.PriortoWednesdayafternoon’sannouncement,theymetwiththeselectioncommittee,Lady Bears’ players and members of the Missouri State administration and Board of Governors.
“We are very excited for Kellie to join the Missouri State family” said Director of Athletics Kyle Moats. “She was a tremendous college basketball player, she comes from a great basketball pedigree, and she is widely regarded as a great tactician. I know our fans, alumni and community will share our enthusiasm and welcome the Harper family to Spring-field.”
Harperhasearnedherreputationwithanine-yearrecordof167-128,includingthreeNCAATournamentappearancesandfourWNITberthsinthatspan.Herteamshavehistoricallyplayedtheirbestinthepostseason,assheholdsacollec-tive22-13recordinconferencetournaments,NCAATournaments,andWNITgames.Infact,in18seasonsasaDivisionIheadcoach,assistantcoachandplayer,Harperhasmade15postseasonappearanceswithacombined415-181(.696)record,11NCAATournamentappearancesandfourWNITbids.
A Division I representative on the WBCA Board of Directors, Harper became just the third coach in North Carolina Statehistoryin2009anddirectedtheWolfpacktothreepostseasonappearancesduringherfour-yearstintatthehelm,in-cludingthe2010NCAATournament.NCStatejoinedTobaccoRoadrivalsDukeandNorthCarolinaastheonlyAtlanticCoastConferenceteamstoscorewinsovertheleague’sother11teamsduringthatspan,andearnedsixtop-25victoriesinfour seasons.
PriortoherstintinRaleigh,HarperpilotedWesternCarolinatoa97-65recordandfourpostseasonberthsinfiveseasons,includinga70-31markherfinalthreeseasonsinCullowhee.TheCatamountscapturedthefirsttwoSouthernConference(SoCon)Tournamenttitlesinschoolhistorywhilesevenstudent-athletescapturedall-conferencehonorsdur-ing her tenure.
Sheearned2007SoConCoachoftheYearhonorsandplacedhersquadsintheWBCAAcademicTop25onthreeoc-casions,includingafifth-placefinishin2007-08.
Beforeherfirstheadcoachingjob,HarperspentthethreeseasonsasanassistantcoachatChattanooga,helpingtheMocstothreeconsecutiveSouthernConferencechampionships,threeNCAAappearancesandacombined78-15recordunderheadcoachWesMoore.Shetutoredfourall-conferenceguardswhileatChattanooga,includingthe2004leagueplayeroftheyear.PriortohertimeinChattanooga,HarperspenttwoseasonsatAuburn,thefirstasanadministrativeas-sistantbeforebeingpromotedtoassistantcoachunderJoeCiampiforthe2000-01campaign.ShewaspartoftheAuburnstaffthatsquaredoffwiththeLadyBearsinthefirstroundofthe2000NCAATournamentinStateCollege,Pa.
TheformerKellieJollyplayedonthreenationalchampionshipclubsatTennesseeforthelegendaryPatSummittandearnedhonorablementionall-Americahonorsasaseniorin1999.
Asajunior,sheguidedtheLadyVolstoa39-0recordandnationalchampionship,averaging7.6pointsand3.8assistsfortheseasonandscoringacareer-high20pointsinthenationaltitlegameagainstLouisianaTech.Shewent4-of-5frombeyondthearcinthatcontestandwasnamedtothe1998All-FinalFourTeam.
“AsaplayerattheUniversityofTennessee,Kellieshowedgreatleadership,poiseanddedication,”saidSummitt.“She knows the game of basketball. She is an excellent teacher, and her passion for the game is infectious. She will bring all this to Missouri State. I wish Kellie and the staff she assembles all the very best as they take responsibility for the Mis-souri State Lady Bears basketball program.”
HarpersetanNCAAchampionshipgamerecordwith11assistsanddishedout20helpersintwogamesforAll-FinalFourhonorsin1997afterreturningfrominjurymidwaythroughhersophomoreseason.Thatyear,theNationalStrengthandConditioningAssociationnamedheritsStrengthandConditioningFemaleStudent-AthleteoftheYear.
ForherTennesseecareer,Harperscored894pointsandhad450assists,leavingUTontheschool’scareertop10listsforassists,assistaverage,3-pointattemptsand3-pointpercentage.ShewasdraftedbytheClevelandRockersinthefourthroundofthe1999WNBAdraftandearnedherdegreeinmathematicsthatsameyear.Shewasathree-timeAcademicAll-SEC recipient as well.
SheplayedforherfatheratWhiteCountyHighSchoolinSparta,Tenn.,andwasafive-timeAll-AmericanduringherAAUplayingcareer.ShewasinductedintotheLadyVolsHallofFamein2009andWhiteCountyHighHallofFamein2012.
“IamveryexcitedKellieHarperhasjoinedtheLadyBearsfamily,”saidMissouriStatePresidentCliftonM.SmartIII. “She has shown she is an outstanding coach and recruiter who also wants to be deeply involved in our community. I am expecting great things from this program in the years ahead as we work to reclaim our rightful position in the Missouri Valley Conference.”
HarperinheritsaMissouriStateclubthatreturnsnineletterwinners,includingfourseniors,froma14-17campaign.Shealsonotedtheteam’sfivefreshmancommitmentsaresomeofhertopprioritiesfromtheonsetofhercoachingterm.
“Myfirstprioritiesaretheteam,thestaffandourrecruits,”saidHarper.“We’llgetstartedonthosethingsrightaway.Imetourplayersthismorning,andwe’llgetthechancetoworkouttomorrowforthefirsttime.I’llstartcontactingoursignees today and then start working toward getting our coaching staff in place.”
She replaces Nyla Milleson, whose contract was not renewed after six seasons at the helm of the Lady Bears.
DuringWednesday’snewsconference,MoatsalsoconfirmedaforthcomingoverhaultotheLadyBears’seasonticketpricingstructurefortheupcomingseason.Thevastmajorityoflower-levelseasonticketswillbe$120withoutaseatas-sessment(downfrom$259aseatlastyear),andbleacherticketswillbe$80,Moatssaidasapreview.Completedetailson the new season ticket pricing plan will be released in the coming weeks.
Missouri State Women’s Basketball Summary Overall Conference Regular-Season Tourney 20-Win Wins per PostseasonHead Coach Years Record Pct. Record Pct. Titles Titles Seasons Season BerthsRebaSims 1969-79 129-116 .527 --- --- -- 4 1 12.9 2MartiGasser 1979-83 62-60 .508 --- --- -- 1 1 15.5 1ValerieGoodwin-Colbert 1983-87 48-63 .432 34-38 .472 0 0 0 12.0 0CherylBurnett 1987-02 319-136 .711 201-65 .756 9 6 10 21.2 11KatieAbrahamson-Henderson 2002-07 95-61 .609 52-38 .578 2 3 2 19.0 4NylaMilleson 2007-13 105-87 .547 59-49 .546 1 0 3 17.5 3 KellieHarper 2013-pr. 0-0 --- 0-0 --- -- -- -- -- --Totals 44 seasons 758-523 .592 346-190 .646 12 14 17 17.2 21
Harper’s Year-by-Year RecordYear School Position Record Postseason1995-96 Tennessee Player 32-4 NCAAChampion1996-97 Tennessee Player 29-10 NCAAChampion1997-98 Tennessee Player 39-0 NCAAChampion1998-99 Tennessee Player 31-3 NCAAEliteEight1999-00 Auburn AdministrativeAssistant 22-9 NCAASecondRound2000-01 Auburn AssistantCoach 17-122001-02 Chattanooga AssistantCoach 23-7 NCAAFirstRound2002-03 Chattanooga AssistantCoach 26-5 NCAAFirstRound2003-04 Chattanooga AssistantCoach 29-3 NCAASecondRound2004-05 WesternCarolina HeadCoach 18-14 NCAAFirstRound2005-06 WesternCarolina HeadCoach 9-202006-07 WesternCarolina HeadCoach 24-10 WNITSecondRound2007-08 WesternCarolina HeadCoach 25-9 WNITFirstRound2008-09 WesternCarolina HeadCoach 21-12 NCAAFirstRound2009-10 NorthCarolinaState HeadCoach 20-14 NCAAFirstRound2010-11 NorthCarolinaState HeadCoach 14-172011-12 NorthCarolinaState HeadCoach 19-16 WNITSecondRound2012-13 NorthCarolinaState HeadCoach 17-17 WNITSecondRound18 seasons 415-181 11 NCAAs, 4 WNITs
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