By: Maddy Dean
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) – The University of Arkansas’s Women’s Basketball team has welcomed new head coach Kelsi Musick.
It was announced on March 21 that Musick would be the 10th coach for the team. This comes after Mike Neighbors, the head coach since April of 2017, stepped down the previous week. Neighbors had led the team to six postseason appearances during his eight seasons at the University.
Musick was officially welcomed by the University of Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek at a press conference on March 24.
The Assistant Director of Communications for the Women’s Basketball team, Fuller Birch, believed that the Arkansas fan base is excited about this transition in the program. “The community has been very welcoming to Coach Musick and her family both in-person at athletic events, and on platforms like X and Facebook,” said Birch.
Musick had previously coached at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma the past three seasons. There, she led the team to two postseasons. Before her time at Oral Roberts, she coached Division II basketball at Southwestern Oklahoma State for 13 seasons.
Musick grew up in Canton, Oklahoma, playing high school basketball before beginning her collegiate career at Cameron University. There, she graduated in 2002 after a record-setting collegiate career. Musick was also inducted into the Cameron University Hall of Fame for her lasting records at the university.
Musick comes to the University of Arkansas after the 2024-2025 seasons where the Razorbacks played 10-22 under Neighbors, with a 3-10 record for the SEC.
The program is in hopes that Musick will be the fresh start they are looking for. “We look forward to getting out in the Northwest Arkansas community with Coach and her players as the program is rebuilt,” Birch said.
Due to Spring Break, Musick has not begun meeting with the Razorbacks yet but will begin shortly to prepare for exhibition games starting this Fall.