Head Coach Missy Bilderback is entering her second season as head coach at ULM, looking to build off of a historic season in 2023-24. Bilderback finished her first season with the Warhawks 21-14 and 10-8 in the Sun Belt, the best record since the 2005-06 season. This was also the first winning season for ULM women’s basketball since 2010-11.
The historic statistics continued as the season went on, with ULM making it to the Sun Belt Championship Quarterfinals for the first time since 2013 and advancing to the Great 8 in the WNIT, giving the Warhawks their best postseason run since 1985. Being ranked fourth in the 2024-25 Sun Belt preseason coaches poll is the highest ULM has been ranked since joining the Sun Belt in 2006.
Bilderback was formally introduced as ULM's 10th women's head basketball coach on March 30, 2023. She previously compiled a record of 198-33 (.857) in eight years at Jones College in Ellisville, Mississippi, including seven-straight 20-win seasons and seven consecutive appearances in the NJCAA Division I Tournament,
Since taking over the program in 2015-16, Bilderback’s teams have averaged 25 victories per season while claiming six of the last seven conference championships and seven consecutive Region 23 titles. The Bobcats’ streak of seven-straight NJCAA Division I Tournament appearances includes three trips to the Sweet 16, two to the Elite Eight and one to the Final Four. Prior to her arrival at Jones College, the Bobcats had never advanced to the national tournament.
Bilderback has coached 30 all-conference selections, 20 all-region picks as well as 12 All-Americans.
“We were really pleased with the talented pool of applicants this opening attracted,” ULM Director of Athletics John Hartwell said. “Missy Bilderback emerged as the top candidate for our position, not simply because of her incredible record, but we hired the best coach for our program. We’re ecstatic about it, and we know great things are on the horizon for ULM women’s basketball.
“Her enthusiasm and positivity are infectious. Missy checks all the boxes: recruiting, player development and team chemistry. She places a high level of importance on the development of the overall person, not just the basketball player. Missy has a tremendous track record of success … her winning percentage speaks for itself. Most importantly, she’s a great fit for ULM. We love her can-do attitude. She has the roll up your sleeves, let’s go to work mentality. She’s ready to hit the ground running, and we’re going to see positive results.”
“We are thrilled to be joining the ULM family,” Bilderback said. “I was so impressed by the vision of new Athletic Director John Hartwell. The combination of a great place to live, the tremendous people within the athletic department, and the opportunity to compete in the Sun Belt Conference makes this a special place. It’s a great time to be a Warhawk.”
Prior to moving to the JUCO ranks, she produced a 482-117 worksheet (.805) in 16 seasons at Presbyterian Christian School in Hattiesburg, Miss., including 14 consecutive 20-win campaigns, six Midsouth Association of Independent Schools state championships and two MAIS overall state crowns (2008 and 2014). Bilderback was named Hattiesburg American Coach of the Year five times and coached in three MAIS All-Star Games.
A former point guard at Pearl River Community College, she earned her bachelor’s degree in coaching and sports administration from Southern Miss in 2001.
She is married to Chip Bilderback, the head football coach at Columbia (Miss.) High School, and the couple have a teenage son, Drew.
