KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee has fired women’s basketball head coach Kellie Harper, the University of Tennessee announced on Monday.
UT's Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White released a statement on the decision:
"After a thorough review of our women's basketball program, I have informed Kellie we are making a change in leadership. 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."
The school said a nationwide search for a new head coach will begin immediately.
"After seeking input from our student-athletes, I will begin an aggressive search process to find the next leader for our iconic women's basketball program," White said. "To protect the integrity of this process, you will not hear from me until we are ready to announce our new head coach."
"This is a result-driven profession and it can be hard sometimes," former Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer said. "Kellie and her family are wonderful and she has a great passion for her Lady Vols. I wish her and her family well."
Harper has been the head coach of Tennessee since 2019. In that time the furthest the Lady Vols have made it in the NCAA Tournament is the Sweet 16.
On April of 2023, Tennessee Athletics gave Harper a contract extension through the 2027-2028 season.
She has compiled a record of 108-52 since coming to Tennessee.
Her firing comes as the Lady Vols finished 20-13 and were bounced in the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. They did not host this year’s tournament. The Lady Vols were 1-7 against top 25 teams this season. They were 3-10 against teams in the final top 25 team last season.
The University of Tennessee is expected to buy out her contract for around $2.2 million. If the university had waited one more day to end the contract, it may have had to pay her even more.
Danny White's hires include Josh Heupel, coaching Tennessee Football, and Karen Weekly, coaching Tennessee Softball. White extended Tony Viterllo's and Rick Barnes' contracts. He may soon add another hire to take over Harper's position.