Miami basketball hires experienced Tricia Cullop as next head coach

The Miami basketball program hired Tricia Cullop as the replacement for Katie Meier as the next head coach on Friday. Cullop who is 53 years old, has a 476–279 record in 24 seasons as a head coach at Evansville and Toledo. Cullop was 123–110 in her first eight seasons as a head coach at Evansville.

Toledo hired Cullop from Evansville and she was 353–169 in 16 seasons with the Rockets. Cullop played under former Miami head coach Lin Dunn at Purdue. In her senior season in 1992-93, Cullop averaged 9.0 points per game and 5.7 rebounds as the Boilermakers finished 16-11.

Evansville advanced to one WNIT under Cullop after winning the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title. Toledo won or tied for seven Mid-American Conference West Division titles under Cullop. That includes the last three seasons outright. Cullop led Toledo to eight postseason appearances.

The Rockets made NCAA Tournament appearances in 2017 and 2023, had eight WNIT appearances and Toledo played in the inaugural WBIT this season. Toledo won the 2011 WNIT Championship and upset fifth-seeded Iowa State as the 12th seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament first round.

Iowa State entered the 2023 NCAA Tournament as the Big XII Tournament Champion when Toledo pulled a first-round upset that season. Earlier in the 2022–23 season, Toledo upset Michigan. Quinesha Lockett (2022–23) and Sophia Wiard (2023–24) won consecutive MAC Player of the Year Awards.

Cullop has built a community. Toledo has finished in the top 30 nationally in attendance in 10 out of the past 11 seasons and led the MAC attendance throughout her tenure with the Rockets. Toledo averaged 4,351 fans per game in 2023-24. That was first in the MAC and 33rd nationally.

Cullop will try to maintain the 13th-ranked 2024 class the Miami basketball program signed. Cullop will also have the task of keeping the Miami roster intact. Several Hurricanes have already entered the transfer portal. Miami finished 19-12 and turned down a WBIT bid after not receiving an NCAA Tournament berth.