Who is Jon Harper’s Wife Kellie Jolly Harper?
Kellie Harper, originally named Kellie Jean Jolly, is a renowned American basketball coach. Born on May 3, 1977, in Sparta, Tennessee, she’s currently 46 years old as of 2023. Kellie is prominently recognized for her role as the head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols. Kellie is married to Jon Harper, who is an assistant coach and has been part of her staff at multiple institutions. Together, they are blessed with two children: Jackson, born in November 2013, and Kiley, born in June 2018.
Academically, she holds a B.S. in Math from the University of Tennessee, which she attained in 1999. Notably, Kellie Harper net worth is estimated between $3-5 Million and she earns an annual salary of $750,000 from her contract with the Tennessee Lady Vols.
Quick Facts About Kellie Harper
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Kellie Harper (Kellie Jolly Harper) |
| Date of Birth | May 3, 1977 |
| Age | 46 (as of 2023) |
| Place of Birth | Sparta, Tennessee, United States |
| Profession | Basketball Coach |
| Education | B.S. (Math) from the University of Tennessee (1999) |
| Husband | Jon Harper (assistant coach) |
| Children | Jackson (born November 2013) and Kiley (born June 2018) |
| Original Name | Kellie Jean Jolly |
| Net Worth | $3-5 Million |
The Early life
On May 3, 1977, Kellie Jean Jolly was born in Sparta, Tennessee. She is one of Kenneth Jolly and his wife’s two children. The person who first introduced Kellie to basketball was Kellie, who was also a basketball coach. Her early years were mostly spent on the farm and at the gym. Her father recently passed away. Brent Jolly, her younger brother, is her. Regarding her physical attributes, Kellie is over 65 kgs in weight and stands at five feet, ten inches.
Married life
Kellie Jolly Harper, an inspiring figure in the realm of basketball, isn’t just known for her remarkable coaching abilities. She’s also recognized for her strong and enduring personal life. Her partner in life, both on and off the court, is none other than Jon Harper, who is a cherished member of her coaching staff.
The duo exchanged their vows on May 15, 1999, binding their love in the sacred commitment of marriage. Now, with over two decades of togetherness under their belts, they serve as an epitome of a stable, enduring relationship. The Harpers joyously celebrate their wedding anniversary each year, taking the time to reflect upon their shared journey, growth, and the invaluable memories they’ve woven together.
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What is Kellie Jolly Harper’s Education?
Kellie Jolly Harper, known for her successful career both as a player and a coach, is currently the head women’s basketball coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols. Here, we will be exploring her educational background:
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High School: Kellie Jolly Harper attended White County High School in Sparta, Tennessee. During her time in high school, she made significant strides both in her academics and athletics. She earned several honors as a high school basketball player and ranked third academically in her graduating class.
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College: After high school, Harper continued her journey at the University of Tennessee. She played as one of the starting point guards for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, helping the team secure three consecutive NCAA women’s national championships from 1996 to 1998. Apart from her spectacular athletic accomplishments, Harper also excelled academically, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics in 1999.
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Carrier
She was born Kellie Jean Jolly in Sparta, Tennessee, and graduated from White County High School there. While there, she excelled academically and as a basketball player, earning numerous distinctions. She played collegiately for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, who won three straight NCAA women’s national championships from 1996 to 1998, and was one of the team’s starting point guards. Harper was a member of the 1997 Final Four All-Tournament team.
With a 60-49 victory over College of Charleston at the Ramsey Center on January 28, 2008, Kellie achieved her 66th victory, passing Beth Dunkenberger to become the second-winningest women’s basketball coach in Western Carolina history. Harper was sacked by NC State’s athletic director Debbie Yow on March 26, 2013, despite having a four-year overall record of 70-64 for the Wolfpack but only a 23-39 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Harper was appointed head coach of the Missouri State Lady Bears, a Missouri Valley Conference team, on April 10, 2013. She guided the Lady Bears to five consecutive top-three MVC finishes starting in the 2014–15 season and five consecutive trips to the postseason, including bids in the NCAA Tournament in 2016 and 2019.
???????????? Amazing day on Rocky Top!!! So happy for our team, coaches and FANS!!!! pic.twitter.com/tKBvOw39iP
— Kellie Harper (@KellieHarper) October 16, 2022
For Harper, the 2018–19 campaign served as a career year. After a 1-7 start to the season, the Lady Bears concluded the regular season 20-9 (16-2 MVC). For her efforts, Harper was chosen as the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year. She became the first Missouri State coach since Cheryl Burnett in 1994 to receive the honour. Harper’s squad earned an 11-seed in the Chicago Region by upsetting the top-seeded and #24-ranked Drake Bulldogs in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Finals.
In games played in Ames, Iowa, Harper led the Lady Bears to the Sweet Sixteen by defeating the 3-seed Iowa State Cyclones and the 6-seed DePaul Blue Demons. In the Sweet Sixteen, the Lady Bears were defeated by Stanford, a 2-seed. Harper received the 2019 Kay Yow Coach of the Year Award.
Physical States
Kellie Jean Jolly Height – 5 Foot 7 Inches
Kellie Jean Jolly Weight – 66 KG
Kellie Jean Jolly has its unique body style with great Body measurements and Height. Kellie Jean Jolly has a healthy body weight to match the height.
Challenges and Success
After extending Harper’s contract from 2022 through the 2026–27 season, University of Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White commented, “Kellie is a terrific leader for the young ladies on our team and a wonderful representative for our university.” “She conducts herself in a first-class manner, connects with people easily, has a fantastic vision for our women’s basketball programme, and is obviously making the necessary progress toward the accomplishment of objectives that will continue to provide us all with the utmost pride for Lady Vol basketball.
“It was impressive to see how she handled the sad injuries that occurred on her team in 2021–2022. They were able to overcome some significant personnel losses and yet make more progress than the programme had in a while thanks to the ‘next woman up’ mentality she instilled in her players. I’m quite excited about the upcoming season and everything after that.
A Sparta, Tennessee native, Harper played 132 games as a floor general for the storied Pat Summitt at UT from 1995 to 1999, guiding the Lady Vols to NCAA National Championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998. She was a member of the Big Orange’s senior class that contributed to the team’s 131-17 overall record, two SEC regular season championships (1998, 1999), and three SEC Tournament victories (1996, 1998, 1999).
Harper’s invaluable experiences as a player who reached the peak at the all-time winningest programme in women’s college basketball history have attracted high school recruits and players in the transfer portal.
When she was hired in 2019, she was able to keep the No. 9 class (Jordan Horston and Tamari Key) intact. She then managed to sign five players (including future starters Tess Darby, Keyen Green, Marta Suárez, and Jordan Walker) during the pandemic in 2020. She then followed with a foundational No. 15-ranked group in 2021 (Sara Puckett, Karoline Striplin, Brooklynn Miles, and Kaiya Wynn (Edie Darby).
Kellie Harper Net Worth
Let’s take a closer look at the financial aspect of her career, primarily focusing on her net worth. It is estimated that Kellie Harper’s net worth falls between $3 million to $5 million. This is a considerable amount, given the disparity often observed in salaries between male and female sports coaches.
This substantial net worth can be attributed to several factors:
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Coaching Career: The most significant chunk of Harper’s net worth comes from her illustrious career as a basketball coach. This isn’t surprising considering the success she’s had over the years and the prestigious teams she’s been associated with.
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Contracts and Salary: As one of the highest-paid female coaches, Harper’s contracts and salary have significantly contributed to her net worth. Her role as the coach for the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team undoubtedly plays a significant part in this.
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Private Investments: Beyond her coaching career, Harper also has private investments which supplement her income and thus her net worth. It’s a wise move for any high-earning individual to diversify their income streams and seems like Harper is no exception to this rule.
Affairs
Everyone is interested in Kellie Jean Jolly’s relationships and dating history. However, I want to let you know that as of right now, Kellie Jean Jolly and I still have a fantastic friendship. Recent reports assert that Kellie Jean Jolly and her partner have no conflicts or problems, which is fantastic news. Kellie Jean Jolly still have a strong passion and mutual respect for their partner.
Interesting Facts About Kellie Jolly Harper
- While playing point guard for Tennessee under legendary Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt, she won three national championships. Harper achieved top-10 rankings at her school for assists, assists per game, 3-point field goals, 3-point field goal attempts, and 3-point field goal % when she graduated. She has a maths degree.
- She was a standout athlete in high school and AAU competition, and she is a native of Sparta in White County, Tennessee. On May 3, 1977, Kellie Jean Jolly was born.
- Harper previously served as the head coach at three other colleges, including Western Carolina University for five seasons, N.C. State for four seasons, and Missouri State for one season (six seasons).
- Debbie Yow, the athletic director at N.C. State, let her go after she finished with a 70-64 overall record and a 23-39 ACC record. She had taken over for another legendary basketball coach, Kay Yow, who had passed away from breast cancer in January 2009 at the age of 66.
- She has a 285-208 career record as a head coach. In 1999, she wed Jon Harper, a Western Carolina assistant at the time. At Missouri State and N.C. State, he worked as Kellie Harper’s assistant. Jackson and Kylie are their two children. Harper spent three seasons as an assistant at Chattanooga and Auburn before taking over as head coach (two seasons).
Social Media Accounts of Kellie Jolly Harper:
The most powerful social media star in the world is undoubtedly Kellie Harper. An ideal celebrity influencer is Kellie. She frequently publishes a tonne of intimate images and videos on social media in order to communicate with her enormous fan following. Engaging with her followers personally. For details on her social media accounts, scroll down.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellie.harper
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellie_harper
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kellieharper
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/
