Auburn has its new women’s basketball head coach.

Johnnie Harris, a former WBCA National Assistant Coach of the Year, and someone with 16 years of SEC experience is coming to the Plains.

Harris was most recently the associate head coach under Vic Schaefer at Texas after following him from Mississippi State where she was a key figure in rebuilding the Bulldogs’ program.

"We are thrilled to welcome Johnnie Harris as the next head coach of the Auburn women's basketball program,” athletic director Allen Greene said in a statement. “Her experience helping build national championship caliber teams is incredible and her ability to recruit elite players is evident by the success of the programs she has worked with. Every coach and program strive to win championships and Johnnie has worked with that blueprint, particularly in the SEC.

“What impressed me most throughout this process was her strong relationships with the student-athletes she recruited and coached – she’s a developer of talent on the court and in life. Everyone speaks to her incredible work ethic, drive and character, which is required to be successful at the highest level. We are delighted to welcome Johnnie to the Auburn family."

Harris started her coaching career at Arkansas-Little Rock in 1998, moving to Arkansas-Fort Smith in 2001 and then progressing to the Power Five from there.

She was an assistant at NC State, Arkansas and Texas A&M before becoming the associate head coach under Schaefer.

"First, I want to thank God for blessing me with this amazing opportunity. I am excited and honored to join the Auburn Family and be part of a program with such a storied tradition,” Harris said. “I want to thank Dr. Jay Gogue, Allen Greene, Monique Holland and the search committee for the opportunity to lead the Auburn women's basketball program and be part of a community that embraces its university and its athletic program with such enthusiasm. It is humbling and exciting to join an athletic program that is as welcoming, passionate and committed to success as Auburn, and I can't wait to start building this program to be among the best in the Southeastern Conference."

Along with her work as an assistant coach, Harris has been credited as a “tireless recruiter.”

In 2018 Mississippi State inked the No. 6 recruiting class in the country according to espnW Hoop Gurlz rankings. Before that, she helped Texas A&M land the No. 2 recruiting class, which included a pair of McDonald’s All-Americans. And at NC State, Harris was able to land the nation’s No. 1 post player, Gillian Goring, who went on to play for the Washington Mystics.

Harris is an alum of Arkansas Baptist and has two children, Marcus and Kiera.

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