Southern Miss Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain announced the hiring of Missy Bilderback as the Lady Eagles’ fifth head coach.
Bilderback, a 2001 graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi, returns to her alma mater after two years at ULM. In Monroe, Bilderback did nothing short of the miraculous, taking a program that had won just 17 games in the prior four seasons to 21-win debut in 2023-24. Her program turnaround marked the best season by a Warhawk squad since 2004-05.
Her two years with the Warhawks saw ULM post its best two-season win total in nearly 20 years, while her Great Eight finish in the Postseason WNIT marked the program’s first postseason competition since 1994. Two Warhawks – Daisha Bradford and Jakayla Johnson – earned positions on the All-Sun Belt Conference second and third teams, respectively, in 2024 with Johnson earning First Team All-SBC honors in 2025.
“We are thrilled to welcome Missy and her family back home to Hattiesburg,” said McClain. “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. We are confident that she will build on the strong foundation of our women’s basketball program and help us to reach new heights!”
A proven winner, Bilderback has spent the last two decades winning at every level of women’s basketball. Before joining the Warhawks for the 2023-24 season, she led Jones County Junior College to a 198-33 overall record in eight seasons in Ellisville. Her teams posted seven-straight 20-win seasons as well as seven consecutive trips to the NJCAA Tournament. The Bobcats appeared in the Sweet 16 thrice, advanced to the Elite Eight twice and stormed to a Final Four finish in 2022.
During her time at Jones, 30 Bobcats were named to All-MACCC teams with 20 earning All-Region 23 laurels. Twelve former Bobcats were named NJCAA All-Americans in her tenure, earning her the respect of coaches at every level as 44 players made their way to four-year schools after finishing at JCJC, including 40 making their way to Division I programs.
“I am incredibly excited and grateful to be the next head women’s basketball coach at The University of Southern Mississippi,” said Bilderback. “I want to express my appreciation to President Dr. Joe Paul and Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain for their trust in me. 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!”
Before her record-shattering seasons at ULM and Jones, Bilderback compiled a 482-117 ledger in 16 seasons at Hattiesburg’s Presbyterian Christian School. Fourteen of her 16 seasons netted 20-win campaigns, while the Bobcats claimed six Midsouth Association of Independent Schools state titles and brought home the overall MAIS crown in 2008 and 2014. Bilderback was named the Hattiesburg American’s Coach of the Year on five occasions while earning a spot on the MAIS All-Star Game coaching staff three times.
Before taking over at PCS, Bilderback earned two letters at Pearl River Community College as a point guard for the Wildcats. After earning her associate’s degree in Poplarville, Bilderback earned her bachelor’s degree at Southern Miss in sports administration in 2001.
She is married to Chip Bilderback, current head coach at Saint Frederick High School in Monroe, La., and the couple has one son, Drew.
Bilderback will be formally introduced at a press conference scheduled for later this week.
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