Kellie Harper brings in-state product home; Tigers land second portal commitment

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Mizzou women's basketball coach Kellie Harper made quite a splash with her second commitment out of the transfer portal, on Sunday afternoon, as the leader of the Tigers is bringing an in-state product home.

Warrenton, Missouri native Navaeh Caffey is Columbia bound, as she announced her pledge to Mizzou on social media. The move comes after the point guard spent her true freshman season as a starter for the Indiana Hoosiers.

In one year in Bloomington, she averaged 8.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, shooting at a 42 percent clip from the floor and 41 percent from 3-point range. The 5-foot-10 talent scored into double figures 12 times in her first collegiate season, including in eight out of the Hoosiers' last nine games of the season.

Caffey is returning back to her home state, where she had quite a bit of success at the high school level. She played for Incarnate Word Academy, a state powerhouse, and won four-straight Class 6 State Championships. While she was with the Red Knights, the program also set a national record for consecutive wins, with 139 victories in a row in Jan. 2025. In her final high school season, she averaged 16.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game, earning a Third Team All-American nod.

She also left Incarnate Word as the Class 6 All-State Player of The Year and with Class 6 First Team All-State recognition.

The former Indiana starter joins former Michigan guard McKenzie Mathurin as the two players that have committed to Coach Harper, so far, this offseason. As of Sunday night, the Tigers have 12 players on the roster for the 2026-27 campaign.

Caffey joins a roster that now has 12 players. Here is a breakdown by position:

• Guard Grace Slaughter (returner)
• Guard Averi Kroenke (returner)
• Guard Abbey Schreacke (returner)
• Guard Sydney Mains (returner)
• Guard Nevaeh Caffey (Indiana transfer)
• Guard McKenzie Mathurin (Michigan transfer)
• Guard Natayla Hodge (incoming freshman)
• Guard Jada Maples (incoming freshman)
• Forward Reka Toman (returner)
• Forward Khloe Forward (incoming freshman)
• Forward Cecilie Brandimore (incoming freshman)
• Forward Ellie Muller (incoming freshman)