Purcell Offers a Nice Change of Pace at First Glance

Sam Purcell is not what Mississippi State women’s basketball fans are accustomed to, but is that a bad thing?

New Mississippi State women’s basketball head coach Sam Purcell met with the media on Sunday morning to discuss his hiring, plans for the future and a few steps he’s already taken as the program’s new skipper. 

At just 42 years old, Purcell brings some youth into the program after the tenures of Vic Schaefer, the tragically cut-short term of Nikki McCray-Penson and interim Doug Novak. That youth is evidenced in his personality, as he comes across as a bright, relatable individual, and he says that’s what makes him such a touted recruiter. 

“I think I can relate to a lot of people,” said Purcell, “My path and where I’ve been all over the country allows me to open doors because of relationships, and I can understand where people come from.”

Purcell also said he’s already spoken with several members of the team, which some have dubbed “The Starkville Seven.” 

“Oh yeah, I got a phone list … I was at it, as you can imagine, and again I can’t say enough about the people here at Mississippi State for allowing this timeline to happen for me, because I wanted to do it professionally,” Purcell said. 

When asked about his coaching style, Purcell had one crystal clear answer - “People.” Purcell said each of the Hall of Fame coaches he’s worked with, of which there are many, have all coached a different way, but the one constant was that they were all proficient when it came to dealing with and managing people. 

Purcell plans to finish out the rest of the season with Louisville, who finds out their matchup in the NCAA tournament later today, before making the full-time transition back to Starkville. Once that job is done, Purcell plans to hit the ground, or the recruiting trail, running.