Three possible candidates for the Auburn women’s basketball head coaching position.
Auburn shook up the women’s basketball scene Thursday by firing head coach Johnnie Harris, who went 58-63 over four seasons, including a 2024 NCAA Tournament appearance, but struggled with injuries and a 12-18 record in 2024-2025.
With Harris out at Auburn and Missouri’s Robin Pingeton stepping away, there are now two head coaching vacancies in the SEC.
The Auburn job is likely to draw significant interest due to the program’s history of success, despite its lack of consistency over the past two decades.
Three Potential Head Coaching Candidates for Auburn:
Sam Purcell, Mississippi State Head Coach
Purcell stands out as a top contender for the position. In just three seasons at Mississippi State, he has compiled a 66-33 record and was originally hired there by Auburn’s current athletic director, John Cohen.
His ties to Auburn run deep—he is an Auburn graduate and began his coaching career as a student assistant under legendary coach Joe Ciampi, spending five years with the program from 2000 to 2005, including three years as a student assistant and two as a video coordinator.
Purcell guided Mississippi State to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023, followed by a WNIT quarterfinal run in 2024. This season, the Bulldogs are 21-10 and projected as a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, according to ESPN’s latest bracketology.
The main challenge would be persuading Purcell to leave behind his success in Starkville, but his strong ties to Auburn make the move a logical possibility.
Kellie Harper
Harper is the only candidate on this list not currently coaching, but she brings extensive SEC experience and a connection to Auburn.
Most recently the head coach at Tennessee (2019-2024), she led the Lady Vols to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, with her only absence coming in 2020 when the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.
Harper brings 20 years of Division I head coaching experience, having also led programs at Western Carolina, NC State, and Missouri State. She holds a career record of 393-260 and has guided teams to nine NCAA Tournament appearances.
Like Purcell, she began her coaching career at Auburn under Joe Ciampi in 2000. Given that she’s not currently coaching, negotiations could be relatively straightforward if Auburn chooses to pursue her.
Molly Miller, Grand Canyon Head Coach
While Miller lacks strong ties to Auburn, she is widely regarded as one of the rising stars in women’s college basketball coaching.
Miller has compiled an impressive 112-37 record over four seasons at Grand Canyon, including a dominant 27-2 overall mark and a perfect 14-0 record in the WAC this season. Before moving to Grand Canyon, she built a powerhouse at Division II Drury University, posting an astonishing 180-17 record.
A Springfield, Missouri native, Miller spent six seasons coaching in her hometown, making her a stronger candidate for the head coaching vacancy at Missouri rather than Auburn.
Leave a Reply