‘Perfect fit for me’: New Mizzou Tigers women’s hoops coach outlines her vision
Harper called herself “picky” when searching for her next coaching job. During her year away from the sideline, she remained connected to the Southeastern Conference, working as an analyst for the SEC Network. That gave her the opportunity to watch the Tigers in action. “At the end of the day, I am a basketball coach,” Harper said of her temporary transition to the desk.
Mizzou’s 2024-25 season ended with a 75-55 loss to Mississippi State in the first round of the SEC Tournament on March 5 in Greenville, South Carolina.
The Tigers entered halftime with a 39-32 lead, but the Bulldogs went on a 31-0 run in the second half en route to victory. MU finished the season 14-18 overall and 3-13 in SEC play.
“I was impressed with the toughness and the fight that this team had all season long,” Harper said.
Since joining the SEC in 2012, Mizzou has just three winning seasons in league play — in 2016-17 (22-11, 11-5); 2017-18 (24-8, 11-5) and 2018-19 (24-11, 10-6). The Tigers have not made the NCAA Tournament since 2019. In her 20 seasons at the Division I level, Harper has made 16 postseason appearances, including nine trips to the NCAA Tournament.
During her previous stop at Tennessee, she led the Lady Volunteers to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. She was fired following the 2023-2024 season after failing to reach the Sweet 16.
Harper never had a losing record in SEC play in any of her five seasons at Tennessee. She was 108-52 overall and 53-24 in conference play with the Lady Vols. South Carolina’s Dawn Staley and LSU’s Kim Mulkey were the only other coaches with a better winning percentage in conference play from 2019-24.
Mizzou athletic director Laird Veatch emphasized seizing the moment given the upward trajectory of women’s basketball. “It was really the right time for us to make a very strategic but responsible investment in this program,” Veatch said.
Veatch not only hired Harper but also reinforced the financial investment in the program’s leader. Harper is set to earn nearly $900,000 per year, making her the highest-paid coach in program history. Harper’s five-year contract aligns competitively on a national scale, placing her among the top-20 highest-paid coaches in women’s college basketball, according to USA Today’s salary database.
Veatch was immediately impressed by Harper’s ability to connect with people. When introducing her to the team, he stepped out to give her time to speak with the players, expecting the conversation to last only five to 10 minutes. “I left the room so they could talk without the boss looking over their shoulder,” Veatch said.
“It was like an hour later — she comes out from these conversations with the players, and it really stood out to me.” While Veatch and several members of the MU athletic department conducted the search that culminated in Harper’s hiring, Veatch thanked former Mizzou star Sophie Cunningham for her input in the process. He said he tried to have Cunningham be there for the introductory news conference, but it didn’t fit in her schedule.
“She was really central throughout this process and a great advisor to me,” Veatch said. “For me to get to know her and just get her perspective of the program, her passion for the program and really have that player perspective was really important.”
Harper had the chance to interact with Cunningham during the interview process. “I’ve known Sophie for a long time, other than a few games per year. Always pulled for her,” Harper said.
“She was tough to play against.” As Harper looks to build the program, she is focused on strengthening the Tigers’ roster through the transfer portal, which opened March 22. She emphasized the importance of adding players who complement the existing core.
“There has to be a buy-in from our returners that they want to be good,” Harper said. “They have to understand that’s going to take some more pieces.
“It’s hard to move up in the SEC, but I think we can do it.”
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