Tennessee Fires Women’s Basketball Coach Kellie Harper After Five Seasons

After five seasons at the helm, Tennessee has decided to part ways with women’s basketball coach Kellie Harper. The announcement came just one week after the Lady Vols fell to N.C. State in the second round of the NCAA women’s tournament, marking the end of Harper’s tenure in Knoxville.

During her time as head coach, Harper was unable to lead the Lady Vols past the Sweet 16, with the team never finishing higher than third in the SEC. Despite a respectable 108-52 record, the lack of deep tournament runs ultimately led to her dismissal.

As a former player for the legendary Pat Summitt, Harper was a part of three national championship teams during her time at Tennessee. However, her success on the court did not translate to the coaching sidelines, as the Lady Vols struggled to reclaim their former dominance in the women’s college basketball landscape.

Tennessee, once the winningest program in women’s college basketball history, has seen a decline in recent years, falling behind powerhouses like UConn, South Carolina, LSU, and Baylor. The program has not reached the Final Four since Summitt’s retirement in 2012, with both Harper and her predecessor, Holly Warlick, failing to bring the team back to national prominence.

Athletic director Danny White expressed the difficulty of the decision, acknowledging Harper’s contributions to the program as a three-time national champion student-athlete. With the search for a new coach already underway, Tennessee looks to turn the page and revitalize its women’s basketball program for the future.