A face familiar to the Pine Belt will take the reins of the Southern Miss women’s basketball program following the retirement of longtime leader Joye Lee-McNelis. School officials announced Sunday afternoon that alum Missy Bilderback will be the program’s fifth head coach.
For the second time in a matter of months, USM Director of Athletics has hired away a successful head coach from a Sun Belt counterpart, this time pulling Bilderback from Louisiana Monroe.
Bilderback, a 2001 Southern Miss graduate, returns home after leading ULM to their most successful two-year stint in nearly 20 years’ time. Before she arrived in Monroe, the Warhawks had beaten just 10 Division 1 opponents in the four-year prior. In Bilderback’s first year at the helm in 2023-24, ULM won 21 games – the most in one year since 2004-05.
Bilderback also led the program to its first postseason appearance since 1994, making a run to the Great Eight of the 2024 WNIT.
“We are thrilled to welcome Missy and her family back home to Hattiesburg. Missy has established herself as one of the premier coaches in our region, accomplishing championship-level success with multiple programs. She is a proven leader who understands the importance of developing student-athletes both on and off the court,” McClain said.
“We are confident that she will build on the strong foundation of our women’s basketball program and help us to reach new heights!”
An illustrious run at the high school and junior college levels earned Bilderback her first Division 1 gig in Monroe, beginning with a 482-117 record across 16 seasons at Presbyterian Christian School in Hattiesburg.
She built on the dominant track record with a 198-33 overall record in eight seasons as the head coach at Jones College, which included three NJCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearances, two Elite Eights, and a Final Four in 2022.
𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞, 𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞
A 2001 graduate of Southern Miss, a proven winner, a true program-builder and the next head coach of the Lady Eagles
🗞: https://t.co/Gga2jKcKJB@missybilderback | #SMTTT pic.twitter.com/tMxDq9V3PA
— Southern Miss Lady Eagle Basketball (@SouthernMissWBB) March 23, 2025
“I am incredibly excited and grateful to be the next head women’s basketball coach at The University of Southern Mississippi,” Bilderback said. “I know firsthand the pride and tradition that Coach Kay James and Coach Joye Lee-McNelis established with this program, and I am honored to return home to lead the Lady Eagles.”
“I look forward to building strong relationships with our student-athletes, investing in our amazing community, and bringing championships to Hattiesburg. Southern Miss, To The Top!”
An introductory press conference will be held later this week in Hattiesburg.
