CollegeInsider.com has named Missouri State’s Kellie Harper the Kay Yow Coach of the Year.
The award is presented each year to the Division I women’s coach who embodies a winning spirit and great character on and off the court.
Harper coached the Lady Bears from a 1-7 start to finish 25-10, winning 24 of the final 26 games.
Missouri State defeated Depaul and Iowa State to get to the Sweet 16 before falling to Stanford.
Tennessee asked Missouri State for the right to interview Harper for its head coach position.
The former Kelly Jolly won three national championships as a player for Tennessee.
The coach of the year award is named after long-time N.C. State head coach Kay Yow, who became the sixth coach in women’s college basketball with at least 700 wins.
She died after a fight with cancer in 2009.
Harper Selected 2019 Kay Yow Coach of the Year https://t.co/bJ5QE6MUfw pic.twitter.com/5VxlEAim7m
— Missouri State Athletics (@MissouriStBears) April 8, 2019
