Ole Miss head women’s basketball coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin has agreed to a new contract until 2026 announced Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter on Thursday.
“We have continued to state emphatically that Ole Miss is going to compete for championships, and under Coach Yo’ leadership, our women’s basketball team has risen to that level of competitiveness,” Carter said. “She has been relentless in elevating our program on the court, in the classroom, in the community and in every element of our student-athletes’ experience. We are excited to make this commitment to Coach Yo and look forward to standing by her side as we raise banners at The SJB Pavilion soon.”
This past season, Coach Yo guided the Rebels to a 23-9 overall record and a 10-6 mark in SEC play. Ole Miss ended the 2021-22 season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against South Dakota in Waco, Texas.
“I am humbled and grateful for the support from Chancellor Boyce, Athletics Director Keith Carter, Senior Women’s Administrator Jennifer Saxon and the rest of our administration,” said McPhee-McCuin. “Their commitment recognizes the accomplishments that our program has achieved, reflects their belief in the long-term vision that has been put into place and demonstrates their unwavering trust of the success of our program in the future.
“In addition, I’m thankful for the loyal support of our faculty and staff, boosters and our fans. I am looking forward to building on the foundation of our success and continuing to lead a program that represents our fans, the University and the state of Mississippi.”
McPhee-McCuin got Ole Miss back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2007 and the 18th overall at the helm in just fourth season.
Ole Miss’ defense was one of the tenacious in the country, with blocking a single-season record 142 shots and held a school record 10 opponents under 50 points.
The history didn’t stop there, as she led the Rebels to 10 SEC wins and its best conference finish since 1993. Ole Miss also appeared in its first SEC Tournament semifinal since 1994, as the fourth overall seed. The Rebels also found themselves slotted in the national polls with its first AP Poll appearance since 2007, when Ole Miss came in at No. 24 on January 24.
Under McPhee-McCuin’s tutelage, she guided Shakira Austin into becoming one of the most productive centers in the nation as the senior was named a three-time All-America Honorable Mention, earned First-Team All-SEC recognition for the second year in a row and was awarded the Gillom Trophy for the second time in her career.
Austin went on to tie Armintie Price as the highest drafted Rebel in program history, as Austin was selected third overall by the Washington Mystics in the 2022 WNBA Draft.
McPhee-McCuin has established herself as one of the nation’s best in bringing in talent from the transfer portal, as she guided Angel Baker to earn SEC Sixth-Woman of the year in her first season in Oxford. Baker posted six 20-point performances off the bench, as the only Rebel in the 21st century to accomplish that feat.
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