Ole Miss Women's Basketball Coach Outlines Priorities for Next Season

Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin looks to build on March Madness appearance after tough loss to Minnesota

Mar. 23, 2026 at 12:06am

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After a heartbreaking second-round loss to the University of Minnesota in the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin outlined her vision for the team's upcoming 2026-27 season. Reflecting on the large and enthusiastic crowd that supported the Golden Gophers, Coach McPhee-McCuin expressed a desire to host NCAA Tournament games at home next year to replicate that type of environment for her own team.

Why it matters

Ole Miss women's basketball has been on an upward trajectory, making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in over a decade this past season. Coach McPhee-McCuin's comments indicate the program's ambitions to build on that success and become a consistent contender, which would be a major boost for the school and the local community.

The details

In the aftermath of the tough second-round loss, Coach McPhee-McCuin emphasized the need to host NCAA Tournament games at the Rebels' home arena next season. She was impressed by the 10,763 fans who showed up to support Minnesota, and wants to replicate that type of electric atmosphere for her own team. To do so, Ole Miss will need to earn a high enough seed to host early-round tournament games, which will require continued improvement and another strong regular season performance.

  • The 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament second-round game between Ole Miss and Minnesota took place on March 22, 2026.
  • Coach McPhee-McCuin's comments about her vision for the 2026-27 season were made immediately following the loss to Minnesota.

The players

Yolett McPhee-McCuin

The head coach of the Ole Miss women's basketball team, who has led the program to new heights including its first NCAA Tournament appearance in over a decade.

University of Minnesota

The school whose women's basketball team defeated Ole Miss in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, drawing a crowd of over 10,000 fans to their home arena.

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What they’re saying

“As I close out this year and look forward to next year, the goal will be to host at home so that we can have that same type of opportunity,”

— Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Head Coach, Ole Miss Women's Basketball

What’s next

Coach McPhee-McCuin and the Ole Miss women's basketball team will now turn their focus to the offseason, where they will look to build on this year's success and position themselves to host NCAA Tournament games next season.

The takeaway

Ole Miss women's basketball is emerging as a force to be reckoned with, and Coach McPhee-McCuin's desire to host NCAA Tournament games at home next season demonstrates the program's ambition to become a consistent contender on the national stage.