New TU women’s basketball coach ready to build championship culture
Laura Harper takes over Towson Tigers team coming off 20-win season, is excited for future
By Kyle Hobstetter on November 29, 2022
Laura Harper wants to win every game she coaches.
That winning mentality led her to the TU women’s basketball head coaching job this past April.
“There is an expectation of success here, and that was extremely exciting,” Harper says. “TU is growing. It’s building, and when I think about [where] the university stands from a diversity standpoint, it really excites me. I want to win, and they’re a program that’s used to winning.”
The Tigers are coming off a 20-win season and have carried a winning record in three of the past four years.
Before competition started, Harper asked her team what their goals were. They were simple: have another 20-win season and a shot to win the Colonial Athletic Association championship.
“I come from a championship-caliber background, and this is the mentality for me,” Harper says. “But as I’ve progressed in my career, I’ve realized if you set the standard and the culture, the results will follow. The biggest thing for this season is setting up that championship culture.
“We have the pieces; we have the talent, and we have the coaching. If we set the culture, I believe we can finish at the top of the conference.”
The women’s basketball team is in action Tuesday, Dec. 13, against Memphis. Come cheer on the Tigers, as all students, faculty and staff get free tickets to all TU home games.
Learn MoreWhen Harper played basketball, she admits she never really thought about coaching. She played her college career at the University of Maryland, helping the Terrapins win the 2006 National Championship and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2006 NCAA Tournament.
She also played professionally in the WNBA and overseas, but her career ended after having trouble with her knees.
Her passion for the game led her to a coaching career, with stops as an assistant at Loyola University Maryland, High Point, George Washington and Florida. She spent the past two years as the head coach of Coppin State, leading a turnaround from two wins in her first season to 15 in her second.
And by coming from just down the road to TU, Harper is thrilled she can continue her passion for basketball in the mid-Atlantic region.
“There is so much talent in this area. How could you not want to be here?” Harper says. “I’m comfortable here, I trust people here and my family is here. This is a dream come true, and I’m ready to give everything I have.”
To stay up to date on the Towson University women’s basketball team, follow them on Twitter and Instagram. For schedules, news and more information on TU athletics, check out TowsonTigers.com.