Former NC State coach Kellie Harper makes first return to Raleigh with NCAA Tournament
Kellie Harper walked into Reynolds Coliseum and tried to find her old office. She’s pretty sure it’s by the media workrooms on the east side of the building.
The Tennessee Volunteers head coach returned to Raleigh for the first time in over a decade; 11 years, to be exact. Things are different but they’re also very much the same.
“Being back brings back a lot of memories; a lot of great people and some really good times,” Harper said during a news conference Friday. “We knew numerically there was a possibility (of the match-up) prior to the selection show, but part of NCAA Tournament’s excitement is traveling, going back and going somewhere new. It’s always always fun.”
Harper said returning to Reynolds doesn’t just bring back the big memories. Instead, she’s recalling the small things.
There’s a stairwell in the building Harper called “about as hot as anywhere in Raleigh” that she recognized upon walking by. The Old Barn, as it’s been dubbed, received renovations to modernize facilities while keeping its classic charm. She saw photos and saw the plans, but to see it in person is a different experience.
Harper also saw several N.C. State staff members who still remain with the program, including her previous boss, now-Wolfpack head coach Wes Moore.
The two teams won’t see each other unless they both advance through the first round, and they’ve each got scrappy opponents on the other side. No. 3 seed N.C. State faces No. 14 seed Chattanooga, where Moore, Harper and her husband all coached together. No. 6 seed Tennessee plays No. 11 seed Green Bay.
“From a personal standpoint, if we’re fortunate enough to get to that second game — we’re gonna have our work cut out for us — you hate to play really close friends,” Moore said.
Harper finished her stint with the Wolfpack in 2013, garnering a 70-64 record. She added three postseason appearances, including an NCAA berth in 2010 and back-to-back WNIT bids in 2012 and 2013.
She leads her new team to its 42nd tournament appearance this weekend, a feat no other program has achieved.
“I think it means a lot to come back to a place where you started,” Tennessee forward Rickea Jackson said. “I’m just proud of where she is now. Her being a coach at Tennessee just means everything to us. I’m really grateful that her journey was her journey and that she’s here.”
Harper, too, expressed excitement for the opportunity to continue the Tennessee tradition, even as she’s surrounded by her own history and legacy. It’s fun, she said, to see the renovations and see people she loves, but she’s a fierce competitor.
If she has to face Moore in two days, that’s OK.
“When it’s time to go out here and practice or it’s time to go out here and play, we’re locked in,” Harper said. “I don’t think it’s anything that I personally have to worry about in terms of emotions.
“I’m super excited about our basketball team. I understand people are going to talk about the connection of me being at N.C. State, but the most important thing right now is our team.”
The Vols tip off Game 1 at noon, while the Pack’s game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. A game time for the second round has not been set.
This story was originally published March 22, 2024 at 8:04 PM with the headline "Former NC State coach Kellie Harper makes first return to Raleigh with NCAA Tournament."
