Mississippi State Hires Louisville Assistant Sam Purcell as Head Coach

Purcell has been with the Cardinals since 2013.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville women's basketball program is still waiting on their NCAA Tournament draw, but head coach Jeff Walz will have some major shoes to fill on his coaching staff once the offseason arrives.

Sam Purcell, a longtime assistant coach under Walz, has been hired to be the next head coach of the Mississippi State women's basketball program. Purcell will continue coaching the Cardinals through the remainder of the 2021-22 postseason.

"I'm honored and humbled to be the head women's basketball coach at Mississippi State University, and I am appreciative to and the entire university administration for this opportunity," Purcell said in a release.

"The Purcell family is thrilled to be coming to Starkville, and we can't wait to meet the team and the entire Bulldog Family. Mississippi State women's basketball is synonymous with winning, and I fully intend to continue that winning culture. Hail State!"

Walz hired the Dalton, Ga. native ahead of the 2013-14 season as an assistant coach, then promoted him to associate head coach prior to the start of the 2017-18 season. In his eight years on staff, Purcell has been an integral part of the program in terms of both recruiting and player development.

All eight recruiting classes that Purcell has helped sign at Louisville have been ranked in the top 15 by ESPN, including the No. 1 class in 2015. 10 players have been selected in the WNBA Draft since his hiring, including six between 2019-21, which is tied with Baylor for the most draft picks in that stretch.

Purcell has helped lead Louisville to a 262-47 record in his nine years on staff. In that span, the Cardinals have made a Final Four appearance in 2018, trips to the Elite Eight in 2014, 2019 and 2012, and six trips to the Sweet 16.

Before coming to Louisville, Purcell also served as an assistant coach at Georgia Tech, Tulsa and Auburn. Over his 20-year assistant coaching career, his teams have combined to post a 495-193 record.

Louisville currently sports a 25-4 overall record, and are ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll. Currently projected as a No. 1 seed by ESPN's Charlie Creme, they learn their NCAA Tournament draw on Sunday, Mar. 13 at 8:00 p.m. EST.

(Photo of Sam Purcell, Dana Evans via University of Louisville Athletics)

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