Tag: Kellie Harper

Jewel Spear announces return to Tennessee

Lady Vols’ guard Jewel Spear announces return to Tennessee.

Jewel Spear announced she will return to Tennessee for an extra year of eligibility she was granted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Spear transferred to Tennessee from Wake Forest.

Spear was one of two players to start every game for the Lady Vols last season. She was Tennessee’s second leading scorer behind Rickea Jackson. Spear averaged 13.1 for the Lady Vols, who finished 20-13 (10-6 SEC) before being eliminated in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by North Carolina State.

She recorded a .373 three-point field goal percentage in 2023-24.

Spear was a two-time All-ACC performer at Wake Forest.

PHOTOS: Kellie Harper through the years

Tennessee fires women’s basketball coach Kellie Harper after five seasons

Three-time national champion Kellie Harper is dismissed as head coach at Tennessee.

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.

Kellie Harper will not return to Tennessee as head coach

Danny White announces leadership change in the Lady Vols’ basketball program.

Tennessee announced a change in leadership for the women’s basketball program on Monday.

Vice chancellor and director of athletics Danny White discussed the change in leadership.

“After a thorough review of our women’s basketball program, I have informed Kellie we are making a change in leadership,” White said. “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.”

PHOTOS: Kellie Harper through the years

Lady Vols make 42nd consecutive NCAA Tournament

Lady Vols make 42nd consecutive NCAA Tournament.

Tennessee (19-12) will compete in the NCAA Tournament as No. 6 seed in the Portland 4 Regional.

The Lady Vols will open play against No. 11 seed Green Bay (27-6) on Saturday. The contest will take place at Valvano Arena at William Neal Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Lady Vols will make its 42nd consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Tennessee is the only program to appear in every NCAA Tournament.

“We are excited for our program to once again be playing in the NCAA Tournament,” Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper said. “We have an experienced group that has grown tremendously as a team throughout the course of this season, and we look forward to taking the next step of our journey together. I’m especially happy for Tamari Key to get an opportunity to play basketball back in her hometown.”

Lady Vols basketball to play in inaugural Women’s Champions Classic

Lady Vols basketball will play in the inaugural Women’s Champions Classic.

The Lady Vols will play in the inaugural Women’s Champions Classic in 2024.

The Women’s Champions Classic will feature Tennessee, UConn, Iowa and Louisville on Dec. 7 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Fox Sports will televise the Women’s Champions Classic.

“We are honored to take part in the inaugural Women’s Champions Classic,” Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper said. “What an exciting opportunity for our student-athletes to compete in a national showcase event that will continue to elevate the increased exposure we are seeing in women’s basketball.

“The Lady Vols have a long tradition of doing whatever we can to grow the game, and we can’t wait to hit the court at the Barclays Center next December.”

Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

Kellie Harper recaps Lady Vols’ loss to Middle Tennessee State

Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper recaps the Lady Vols’ loss to Middle Tennessee State.

Middle Tennessee State (7-3) defeated Tennessee (4-5), 73-62, Wednesday at Propst Arena and Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Lady Vols are now 261-62-2 all time versus in-state schools. Wednesday’s win is the first for the Blue Raiders in the all time series against Tennessee. Tennessee is 22-1 versus Middle Tennessee State, dating to 1971.

Fifth-year Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper discussed the Lady Vols going forward after suffering a third consecutive loss.

“This one, we’ve got to take some ownership a little bit, more ownership than we’re taking in that locker room right now to be quite honest with you,” Harper said. “I think we are. We’re trying to help them, but at some point they’ve got to step up and help themselves and really challenging our team right now.”

PHOTOS: Kellie Harper through the years

Kellie Harper recaps Lady Vols’ loss to Ohio State

Kellie Harper recaps the Lady Vols’ loss to Ohio State.

No. 13 Ohio State (6-1) defeated No. 22 Tennessee (4-3), 78-58, Sunday at Food City Center.

Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper met with media and recapped the non-conference matchup.

“Tough game for us tonight, and I know several of their opponents have felt that way afterwards,” Harper said. “We were hoping to do a little bit better job executing offensively, getting a few more points on the board than we did. Defensively, I thought we were okay in the halfcourt, but when you are letting them run out in transition off of your turnovers or off of some transition opportunities, then the board play was very disappointing. We talked about it as a group, and we will continue to address it.”

PHOTOS: Kellie Harper through the years

Kellie Harper recaps Lady Vols’ loss to Notre Dame

Kellie Harper recaps the Lady Vols’ loss to Notre Dame.

No. 14 Notre Dame (6-1) defeated No. 22 Tennessee (4-3), 74-69, in the ACC/SEC Challenge Tuesday at Food City Center.

Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper met with media after the game.

“Obviously, this is a tough one,”Harper said. “I think everyone here in our locker room feels like we should have walked out with a win, so it’s a hard pill to swallow when you don’t get it. Obviously, the other team had a lot to do with that, they did a great job of grabbing the momentum and holding onto it and finishing the game out strong. They had great balance, and great toughness from the game. Obviously, we are disappointed, and hopefully, we will learn from it.”

PHOTOS: Kellie Harper through the years

Angelina Alcantar/USA TODAY Network

Kellie Harper recaps Lady Vols’ overtime win versus Memphis

Kellie Harper recaps the Lady Vols’ overtime win versus Memphis.

No. 15 Tennessee (2-1) defeated Memphis (1-2). 84-74, in overtime Monday at Food City Center.

Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper met with media following the game.

“Obviously, it was an exciting game,” Harper said. “I’m glad we came out of it with a win. I told our team to remember we don’t take any of them for granted, good, bad or ugly. Take it, you don’t give it back and you try and learn from it and move forward. Memphis did a great job; they play so hard, and we knew that coming in. Thankfully, we had a big challenge in front of us today and found a way to get a win.”

Everything Harper said following the Lady Vols’ win versus Memphis is listed below.

Kellie Harper recaps Lady Vols’ win against Florida A&M

Kellie Harper recaps the Lady Vols’ win against Florida A&M.

No. 12 Tennessee (1-0) defeated Florida A&M (0-1), 93-64, on Tuesday at Food City Center.

The contest was the first during the 2023-24 regular-season.

Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper recapped the Lady Vols’ win.

“It’s great to start the season 1-0 and I’m proud of our team,” Harper said. “I tell them again in the locker room, ‘You don’t ever take any of them for granted’. I thought we did some good things. Obviously, as the coach, there are some things that we’re going to work on. We’re going to try to improve upon after each game that we play. I think it was fun to get this one under our belt and be able to move forward.”

PHOTOS: Kellie Harper through the years

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