Fresh off his second NCAA Tournament in three seasons at the helm of Mississippi State women’s basketball, Sam Purcell has signed a contract extension through the 2028-29 season, it was announced on Thursday.
“I would like to thank Dr. Mark Keenum and Director of Athletics Zac Selmon for their trust to build on the success we have had. I’m extremely excited to work with Zac as he continues to take our athletic department to new heights,” Purcell said. “I am blessed to be surrounded by an amazing staff and to coach great young women who represent their families, our program, the University and the state of Mississippi with pride. Life is about people, and my family and I could not be more excited to continue to call Starkville home and play in front of the best fans in women’s basketball inside The Hump. Hail State!”
Purcell has seen continued success during his young career as a head coach in Starkville. He has compiled 67 victories, with 24 of those coming in conference play, which are both program-bests for any coach through three seasons. He has guided the Bulldogs to three 20+ win seasons, making him the third active coach in the SEC and the first Bulldog coach to do such in their first three seasons.
Mississippi State returned to the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in program history during the 2024-25 season. Purcell has led the Bulldogs to the tournament twice during his three seasons, earning three career NCAA Tournament victories.
Purcell guided Jerkaila Jordan into the top ten of nearly every category in the Mississippi State record books during their time together. Most notably, she ranks second in program history with 273 steals and fifth with 1,899 points. She also completed her career sixth in field goals made (712), sixth in three-pointers made (175), and tenth in made free throws (300) and rebounds (733).
Alongside her accolades in the Maroon and White, Purcell led Jordan to a pair of All-SEC Second Team Honors. Jessika Carter also earned a pair of All-SEC Second Team honors under Purcell’s tutelage. Carter was drafted with the 23rd pick in the second round of the WNBA draft, becoming Purcell’s first draft pick as a head coach and the first Bulldog to be drafted since 2019.
Known as an elite recruiter, Purcell has excelled at bringing top talent to Starkville. In his three seasons, Purcell has brought seven ESPNW top-100 signees to Starkville, with five of those being ranked inside the top 50. He has signed two of the top three high school signing classes in program history. Most recently, he inked in the 11th ranked recruiting class, which bested his inaugural signing class as the second-best in program history.
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