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UT women's basketball is ready for the season as Harper completes her staff

Head coach Kellie Harper announces 3 new hires.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — UT women's basketball head coach Kellie Harper has just put the finishing touches on her full-time staff. 

Harper just announced three new hires. Jessica Jackson will be the program's director of recruiting operations. Catherine Greene will serve as the director of basketball operations. Tyler Watson takes over as the team's strength and conditioning coach. 

"I am excited and proud of the staff that we have assembled," Harper said. "Everyone possesses strong character and work ethic and is committed to our vision and this program's success."

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Jackson is a former player, graduate assistant and assistant under Harper. Prior to joining Harper at MSU, Jackson spent the 2017-18 season at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. She spent the previous three years (2014-17) at Appalachian State. Prior to her time at Appalachian State, Jackson was the director of women's basketball operations at Kent State University for two seasons from 2012-14. 

New director of basketball operations, Greene, has seven years of full-time experience with NCAA Division I women's basketball programs at North Carolina and Georgia Tech. Previously, Greene spent five seasons as a member of the Georgia Tech women's basketball program, the last four years as the director of operations. During her time at UNC, Greene served as director or co-director of more than 10 NCAA or ACC postseason championship events. 

Watson, who is joining the team as the new strength and conditioning coach, spent the 2018-19 season with Harper as assistant strength and conditioning coach with the MSU women's and men's basketball programs as well as the women's and men's golf teams. Watson served from December 2015 to the spring of 2018 as head strength and conditioning coach at Elon University in North Carolina. In that capacity, he oversaw all 16 athletic teams while working directly with men's and women's basketball in addition to volleyball, women's lacrosse and track & field.

Harper also announced changing roles for Alex Varlan and Heather Ervin. Varlan will serve as the director of scouting and analytics, while Ervin becomes the director of player relations and administration. 

The first game for UT women's basketball is on November 5 against Carson-Newman. Click here to purchase tickets. 

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