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Arkansas hires Kelsi Musick as women's basketball head coach

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•about 13 hours•

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Oral Roberts HC Kelsi Musick
© Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arkansas hired Kelsi Musick as its next women’s basketball coach, the school announced Friday. She spent the past three seasons at Oral Roberts.

Musick is signing a five-year contract with the Razorbacks worth $600,000 per year, the school said. Oral Roberts made the postseason each season under her watch and fell in the WBIT Thursday night, finishing with a 24-9 overall record. It marked the Golden Eagles’ second straight 20-win season, the first time that’s happened since 2009-12.

Before arriving at ORU, Musick spent 13 years at Division II Southwestern Oklahoma State, where she went 259-125 and took the Lady Bulldogs to a national title game in 2019. The program made seven D-II tournament appearances under her watch.

“As I spoke to Kelsi and people associated with her, I was impressed by her work ethic, enthusiasm and her ability to maximize resources in building winning programs at each of her coaching stops,” Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek said in a statement. “She has proven to be a great relationship builder and communicator throughout her career to the benefit of her teams and student-athletes on and off the court. Having grown up and coached in Oklahoma, she has a familiarity with our area that will help her quickly connect with our state and fan base.

“Kelsi is a rising star in the women’s basketball coaching profession. I believe the University of Arkansas is the best place for her to develop her full potential as a coach while also leading our program to success. Throughout my conversations with Kelsi, it was apparent she wanted to be an Arkansas Razorback and welcomed the challenge of building our women’s basketball program to compete against the best-of-the-best in the SEC. I want to thank Derita Dawkins, Taylor McGillis and Kat Devenport for their assistance during the search process.”

Kelsi Musick started her coaching career at Fresno State as director of basketball operations before heading to the high school ranks at her alma mater, Canton (Okla.) for two years. She then headed back to Fresno State from 2006-08 and became an assistant coach in 2009.

Arkansas finished 10-22 this past year before moving on from Mike Neighbors after eight seasons at the helm. The program has not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2022, but played in the postseason the next two years in the WNIT and WBIT, respectively. The 2024-25 season marked the Razorbacks’ first time missing the postseason since 2018.

“I am incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead the women’s basketball program at the University of Arkansas,” Musick said in a statement. “This is a place with a proud tradition, passionate fans and a commitment to excellence in every way. I’m excited to get to work building something special. I want to thank Hunter Yurachek and his staff for their belief in me, and I can’t wait to pour into our student-athletes, compete in the SEC and represent this university with pride.”