Coming off the team’s first Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles and first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2009, Murray State women’s basketball head coach Rechelle Turner has received a contract extension through 2029.
Turner, who has been at the helm of the program since 2017, became the winningest head coach in program history and will enter the 2025-26 season with 136 victories.
“Coach Turner did a tremendous job leading our women’s basketball team to an MVC regular season title, an MVC tournament title, and an appearance in March Madness last season, so we are thrilled to continue to have her lead this program,” Director of Athletics Nico Yantko said. “We are committed to our continued investment into our women’s basketball program and into Coach Turner as we look to defend our conference titles.”
The Racers secured 25 wins in 2024-25, the most in team history, powered by a 10-game winning streak that went through the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in Evansville. Under Turner, the team has won 20+ games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2006-08.
“It is a tremendous blessing to be the women’s basketball coach at Murray State University, and I am very proud to be a part of the championship culture that is growing every day across our athletic department,” Turner said. “I am grateful to have the support of our administration, and as a program, we appreciate the endorsement of our vision and the remarkable relationship driven culture that is the foundation of who we are and of everything we accomplish together. I would like to thank President Bob Jackson, the Board of Regents and Chairman Leon Owens, and Director of Athletics Nico Yantko, for their support and for their belief in my leadership of the women’s basketball program.”
Under Coach Turner, the team saw four players earn All-Conference honors, including Katelyn Young’s inclusion on the First Team. The team also finished the year ranked second in the nation in scoring offense (86.8 ppg), third nationally in free throw percentage (80.2) and led the league in numerous statistical categories.
“This extension is a commitment not only to me, but also to my outstanding staff and our exceptional group of players,” Turner added. “It will provide us the long-term platform necessary to continue the pursuit of Missouri Valley championships each and every season. The future of our program is exceedingly bright, and I am already excited and energized by the talented young women that will make up our 2025-26 roster. I can’t wait to have our amazing fans back inside the CFSB Center, as they help us create one of the most electric atmospheres for women’s basketball in the country.”
Along with the extension, Coach Turner and the women’s basketball program have benefited from a massive influx of championship resources over the last two years, including:
- Full Cost of Attendance and Alston academic incentive money to our student-athletes, which has played a key role in roster management and in recruiting
- Additional NIL resources, including partnering with The BrandR Group and INFLCR, to provide personal brand resources to our student-athletes
- Staffing investments that allowed for one of the largest women’s basketball staff in the MVC
- Increased scheduling money
- Charter flights
These critical resources could not have been possible without the private support of so many incredible investors, who have bought in to the department’s shared vision for excellence.
Tagged with: Missouri Valley Conferemce