Women's Basketball
McNelis, Connor
Connor McNelis
- Title:
- Assistant Coach / Director of Analytics and Player Development
Connor McNelis joined the Lady Eagles prior to the 2023-24 season as the team's director of analytics and player relations. The Oak Grove, Miss., native brings a wealth of experience back to the Hub City.
"Connor is a great addition to our staff," said Joye Lee-McNelis. "Since he was three years old, he has called himself Coach Connor. He brings experience and a strategic thought process to our program. He is a gifted man and I am thankful he has returned home to help me and our family during this time in our lives."
"I am excited to return home to Southern Miss and happy to be able to come home and help mother with her condition," said Connor McNelis. "As well as helping with her parents and being able to take that load off of her as much as I can."
Connor McNelis, son and youngest child of Coach Joye Lee-McNelis, brings a lifetime of experience to the Hub City. With the Lady Eagles, Connor McNelis will be responsible for scouting, analytics and other aspects of the program.
For the last two seasons, the younger McNelis has served as an assistant coach for the Arkansas State Red Wolves' women's basketball squads. McNelis helped the Red Wolves to increased win totals in each of his two seasons in Jonesboro, Ark.
Before joining the Red Wolves, McNelis spent two seasons in Thibodaux, La, under former Lady Eagles assistant DoBee Plaisance at Nicholls. While with the Colonels, McNelis coached the guards and assisted with fundraising, film and video operations, organizing practice squad players, and day-to-day team operations.
Prior to his time at Nicholls, McNelis spent two seasons in Boca Raton, Fla., working as the video coordinator and player development coordinator at Florida Atlantic. While with the Owls, he utilized Synergy for game highlights, practice breakdowns and recruiting highlights. He also assisted Florida Atlantic's coaching staff in practice planning practices and scouting.
To say McNelis grew up around basketball would be an understatement. His mother has been a head coach of 33 seasons and involved with basketball for 10 more. McNelis began working with women's basketball in 2005 as a member of the annual Joye Lee-McNelis Basketball Camps, helping the Lady Eagles with individual, positional, team and elite events.
McNelis originally committed and enrolled at Emmanuel College for the 2012-13 season to play basketball before transferring to Southern Miss as a sophomore. As a student, McNelis worked in multiple capacities for both the men's and women's basketball teams at Reed Green Coliseum.
With the men's basketball team, McNelis worked as a manger and assisted with skill development and practices. He also played a vital in-game role of assessing opponent's play calls in-game to develop a halftime and postgame breakdown.
With the Lady Eagles, McNelis served as a student assistant coach and was responsible for film breakdown, assisting coaching staff with assignments and organizing and maintaining practice plans and player shot charts.
McNelis earned his bachelor's degree in sports coaching from The University of Southern Mississippi in 2017.
"Connor is a great addition to our staff," said Joye Lee-McNelis. "Since he was three years old, he has called himself Coach Connor. He brings experience and a strategic thought process to our program. He is a gifted man and I am thankful he has returned home to help me and our family during this time in our lives."
"I am excited to return home to Southern Miss and happy to be able to come home and help mother with her condition," said Connor McNelis. "As well as helping with her parents and being able to take that load off of her as much as I can."
Connor McNelis, son and youngest child of Coach Joye Lee-McNelis, brings a lifetime of experience to the Hub City. With the Lady Eagles, Connor McNelis will be responsible for scouting, analytics and other aspects of the program.
For the last two seasons, the younger McNelis has served as an assistant coach for the Arkansas State Red Wolves' women's basketball squads. McNelis helped the Red Wolves to increased win totals in each of his two seasons in Jonesboro, Ark.
Before joining the Red Wolves, McNelis spent two seasons in Thibodaux, La, under former Lady Eagles assistant DoBee Plaisance at Nicholls. While with the Colonels, McNelis coached the guards and assisted with fundraising, film and video operations, organizing practice squad players, and day-to-day team operations.
Prior to his time at Nicholls, McNelis spent two seasons in Boca Raton, Fla., working as the video coordinator and player development coordinator at Florida Atlantic. While with the Owls, he utilized Synergy for game highlights, practice breakdowns and recruiting highlights. He also assisted Florida Atlantic's coaching staff in practice planning practices and scouting.
To say McNelis grew up around basketball would be an understatement. His mother has been a head coach of 33 seasons and involved with basketball for 10 more. McNelis began working with women's basketball in 2005 as a member of the annual Joye Lee-McNelis Basketball Camps, helping the Lady Eagles with individual, positional, team and elite events.
McNelis originally committed and enrolled at Emmanuel College for the 2012-13 season to play basketball before transferring to Southern Miss as a sophomore. As a student, McNelis worked in multiple capacities for both the men's and women's basketball teams at Reed Green Coliseum.
With the men's basketball team, McNelis worked as a manger and assisted with skill development and practices. He also played a vital in-game role of assessing opponent's play calls in-game to develop a halftime and postgame breakdown.
With the Lady Eagles, McNelis served as a student assistant coach and was responsible for film breakdown, assisting coaching staff with assignments and organizing and maintaining practice plans and player shot charts.
McNelis earned his bachelor's degree in sports coaching from The University of Southern Mississippi in 2017.
Missy Bilderback Presser - March 27, 2025
Thursday, March 27
Jeremy McClain Presser - March 27, 2025
Thursday, March 27
Missy Bilderback Introductory Press Conference
Thursday, March 27
Thank You Coach Joye Lee-McNelis
Saturday, March 01
