The first high school class under Kellie Harper has exceeded expectations. The Tigers brought in five players, three of which were widely considered 4-stars. The highest rated recruit sat at No. 79 in the ESPN rankings; ahead of the top recruit for five other SEC schools.
While the Tigers and Coach Harper certainly faced a shorter timeframe than other established coaches, this didn’t deter the class in any significant way.
“Recruiting is fluid,” Harper said. “You can go back and look at players that
you’ve signed that you recruited for years, and then you can go back and look at players that you signed that you recruited for weeks…we were late for some kids and for some kids, we were right on their timeline. So I think it worked out very positively for us.”
When you look at the class as a whole, what sticks out the most is the emphasis on size. Three of the Tigers’ five recruits are listed as 6-3 or taller. When we asked Coach Harper about it, it’s clear this decision was completely by design.
“We wanted some size,” Harper said. “All three of those players bring some size and length, hopefully give us some depth in some positions down low, and love the ability that they also have to be able to stretch the floor.”
With that in mind, here’s a closer look at what each of the five new signees bring to the Tigers.
Natalya Hodge
Height: 5-7
Position: Point Guard
Hometown: Knoxville, TN
Harper’s Tennessee ties paid dividends as she brought in Natalya Hodge, widely considered the top prospect in the class. She was listed by an ESPN scout grade at 92 and was listed by the site as the No. 79 player in the Class of 2026.
Hodge has been extremely successful at the high school level, earning TSWA AAAA All-State team honors in all three years. In addition she surpassed 2,000 points at Bearden High School during her junior year.
She chose the Tigers over big-name programs like Ole Miss, Florida State and Baylor; a big-time grab and a promising sign for Harper’s recruiting pedigree.
Khloe Ford
Height: 6-3
Position: Forward
Hometown: Birmingham, AL
Next up is Khloe Ford, another prospect that enters with a large amount of hype after earning a 91 grade from ESPN and ranked No. 94 in the class.
She has won a state title in all three seasons at the high school level with Hoover High School. While she missed most of her junior year due to injury, Ford was voted as the state tournament MVP as a sophomore.
She had offers from across the nation, choosing Mizzou over programs like Arizona State, UCF and Alabama. For a team that desperately needs size, Ford is the perfect plug-and-play option for a conference as competitive as the SEC.
Jada Maples
Height: 5-10
Position: Combo Guard
Hometown: Earle, AR
The Tigers picked up Hodge, Ford and Jada Maples all in a one-week span that has helped revolutionize the future of the program. Maples was voted as a 4-star by Rivals and considered the No. 95 player in the class in their rankings. ESPN did not have a report on Maples.
She plays for Earle High School at the 1A level, finishing runner-up in the state last year. Despite the loss in the title game, Maples impressed with 31 points, 20 rebounds and seven steals in the game. As a result National trainer TJ Jones voted Maples as the Most Outstanding Player for Class 1A.
She chose Mizzou over other finalists Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Texas A&M. Her winning pedigree was a very attractive trait to Harper in the recruiting process.
“I think we have some players coming from really elite programs,” Harper said. “They expect to win. I think that’s really important.”
Cecilie Brandimore
Height: 6-4
Position: Forward
Hometown: Franklin, TN
Cecilie Brandimore was the first commit Harper brought in as the coach of Mizzou. While Brandimore does not have a Rivals or ESPN recruiting profile, the talent she brings is apparent.
She plays at Franklin High School where she has averaged 24.9 points, 13.6 rebounds and three blocks. As a junior she received First Team All-District honors and was voted the Tennessean Player of the Week honors four times.
Brandimore had offers from nearby Nashville schools Belmont and Lipscomb. Her other power conference offer came from Minnesota. While she may not have the recruiting pedigree of these other prospects, Brandimore is a big grab for Mizzou and someone that Harper can build around.
Ellie Muller
Height: 6-3
Position: Forward
Hometown: West Des Moines, IA
Ellie Muller was the second addition to the class, committing a little over a week after Brandimore. Similar to Brandimore, Muller garnered very little national attention from places like Rivals or ESPN. Regionally she is considered by Prep Hoops Iowa as the No. 5 prospect in the state. However, Muller is a big-time grab for Mizzou.
She led Dowling Catholic High School (Caitlin Clark’s alma mater) to the 5A state final during both her sophomore and junior seasons. Muller is a two-time All-State selection, including a first team selection last season. Through three years she has already set the school record in defensive rebounds and blocks.
Muller had plenty of other regional power conference offers from schools like Iowa, Creighton, Iowa State, Minnesota and kU. She is the third forward of the class and a big-time addition for a team that only has two players listed at 6-3 or taller.
With these five prospects and the expected returners, this puts Mizzou right at the 15 player limit for the 2026-27 season. So without a player transferring out, it appears that there would be no way to bring in any new transfers to the team. This is very clearly by design, as Harper is a big believer in development through the high school system.
“We understand that our high school recruiting is going to be very important to our to building a successful program, that’s what we’re going to have as a foundation,” Harper said. “The portal is still a valid option where you need it, but we were able to address a lot of things in the with the freshman class that we wanted to address.”
While there is plenty to be excited about moving forward for this team, there is plenty of great things to look forward to the rest of the 2025-26 year. Next up is a showdown with Troy on Education Day on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. The game will be available to watch on SEC Network+ on the ESPN app.
