As more and more eyes turn to women’s college basketball, the pressure to win continues to rise. For the Lady Vols, the latest decision to not keep Kellie Harper as head coach is evidence for that. On Monday, Tennessee Volunteers AD Danny White announced the departure.
“After a thorough review of our women’s basketball program, I have informed Kellie (Harper) we are making a change in leadership,” White stated. “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.
“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.”
Harper played under the legendary Pat Summitt from 1995 to 1999. She went on to play in the WNBA in 1999 for the Cleveland Rockers before turning to coaching in 2000. She had stints with the Auburn Tigers and Chattanooga Mocs as an assistant before becoming a head coach of Western Carolina in 2004. She spent the last five years with her alma mater.
Harper has a head coaching record of 393-260 since 2004. As a leader of the Lady Vols, she only missed the NCAA women’s tournament once. It was the year that the postseason was canceled due to COVID-19. The Lady Vols were bounced this year in the second round to NC State, who is gearing up for a Final Four matchup with No. 1 South Carolina.
I doubt this is the last time we hear of Kellie Harper as a head coach of a women’s program.
As for Tennessee, it has been 12 years since the late Pat Summitt retired, and the program has failed to reach those heights again. Replacing a legend is never easy. The best return was back-to-back Regional Finals under Holly Warlick in 2013 and 2014.
The search for the next head coach at Tennessee begins now.