Sophie Cunningham raves over Missouri coach Kellie Harper: ‘She’s going to get us back to where we need to be’

Kellie Harper has the right stuff to lead Missouri women’s basketball to new heights these days, so says Sophie Cunningham. Cunningham is a proud Tiger alum, having helped the Tigers get to the NCAA Tournament all four years of her college career. 

As an established WNBA veteran and coming off a career year with the Indiana Fever, Cunningham speaking positively about the program is a big deal. Missouri is currently 16-15 in Harper’s first year at the helm and trying to make one last push for the NCAA Tournament.

However, they are just 4-12 in SEC play this year, so there’s some work to do. Still, Harper led Tennessee to the NCAA Tournament regularly during her last stop. Cunningham mentioned Harper getting things in the right direction when the alum reminisced about playing with her sister, Lindsey Cunningham, at Mizzou.

“We got two years together, and it was so fun,” Cunningham told On3. “She was one of the best point guards and leaders that I have ever played with or been around, still to this day. And so she’s also (6-foot, 6-foot-1), and so she was a bigger point guard. Her game was very simple, but she was a great, great, great passer, and could shoot the three. 

Kelli Harper will point Mizzou in right direction, Sophie Cunningham says

“And you know, it brought all of our friends and family out of the woodwork, so that when I got to Mizzou, we were maybe averaging two or 300 fans, and by the end of it, you know, we are averaging around eight to 10,000. It wasn’t just us as all of our teammates and the culture that we built, but we really turned that program around. And so with Kellie Harper being the new coach of Mizzou, I really think she’s going to get us back to where we need to be.”

Harper might hold the keys to get Missorui rolling again, but it will have to finish the season strong. The Tigers have lost six in a row in conference play. 

Cunningham’s interview was on behalf of Quest Nutrition. Check out the new social-first elimination series ‘The Grand Try’ premiering this month.

They’ll be the No. 14 seed and take on No. 11 Alabama in Wednesday’s first round of the SEC Tournament. The Tigers or Crimson Tide will take on No. 6 Tennessee.

Still, Harper has the credentials. She is 409-275 overall as a head coach and coached her alma mater, Tennessee, for five seasons. Harper went 108-52 overall, leading Tennessee to the NCAA Tournament four times (it was not contested in 2020). However, the Lady Vols never made it past the Sweet 16, leading to her firing.

After a year off, Harper seems rejuvenated at Mizzou. How it continues to evolve for the rest of the year and into 2026-27 remains to be seen.