Tennessee has appointed Caldwell to helm its esteemed Lady Volunteers basketball program.
University of Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White revealed on Sunday that Kim Caldwell, recipient of the 2024 Spalding Maggie Dixon NCAA Division I Rookie Coach of the Year award, has been appointed to lead the Lady Volunteers. Her introduction will take place during a press conference on campus scheduled for Tuesday.
Danny White expressed, “Our objective from the start has been to identify an energetic head coach capable of reinstating our women’s basketball program to national prominence. Kim Caldwell embodies the perfect qualities to guide us through this endeavor. Kim possesses a winning strategy that she has effectively implemented throughout her coaching career, characterized by a fast-paced, high-pressure offensive style and defensive prowess, yielding remarkable outcomes. In today’s evolving landscape of collegiate sports, it was imperative to secure an innovative head coach with a proven track record of securing titles. We are enthusiastic about revitalizing the Lady Vols to championship status, and we firmly believe Kim Caldwell is the coach to lead us there.”
Caldwell assumes the role as the fourth head coach of the Lady Vols in the NCAA era of women’s basketball, which commenced under the late, esteemed Pat Summitt’s leadership. Rising swiftly in her profession, Caldwell has swiftly left an indelible mark at two different tiers of the game, clinching eight NCAA berths and claiming seven conference championships in her eight seasons as head coach. Her tenure saw her guide NCAA Division II Glenville State and DI Marshall to championship triumphs with a formidable approach on both ends of the court. She now inherits the helm of the most successful program in women’s basketball history.
Expressing her gratitude, Caldwell stated, “I am deeply honored and humbled to accept the position of head coach at the University of Tennessee. As I reflect on receiving the Pat Summitt Trophy three seasons ago, I am profoundly moved by the immense responsibility and opportunity of now leading and building upon the incredible Lady Vol tradition she established. I am eager to begin our journey together and am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.”
Caldwell’s national recognition from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association stemmed from her remarkable coaching achievements at Marshall, where she guided the team to a 26-7 overall record and a 17-1 league record in her inaugural season in 2023-24. She was also honored as the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year for steering the Thundering Herd to both the regular season and tournament titles, along with the school’s second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance and its first since 1997.
In Caldwell’s debut season with Marshall, the team secured a top-five ranking nationally in seven different statistical categories. The Thundering Herd boasted one of the nation’s most prolific scoring offenses, achieving nine games with 90+ points and five games with over 100 points. They led the nation in three-point field goals attempted and ranked third in three-pointers made per game, averaging over 10 per contest.
Despite being predicted ninth in the Sun Belt Conference preseason poll, Marshall demonstrated its prowess by averaging 85.3 points per game (ranking fourth nationally) and forcing 24.2 turnovers per contest (ranking second nationally), achieving a program-best win record. Caldwell’s victory tally stands as the highest achieved by a first-year coach in MU women’s basketball history and marked the first 20-win regular-season campaign by the school since 1990-91.
Caldwell, boasting a career record of 217-31 (.875) in eight seasons as head coach, including a remarkable 149-13 (.920) in conference games, embarked on her coaching journey at her alma mater under her maiden name of Kim Stephens. At Glenville State, she led the team to the NCAA Division II National Championship in the 2021-22 season, securing seven NCAA appearances, six Mountain East Conference regular-season crowns, and four tournament titles.
Her achievements earned her the Pat Summitt Trophy, awarded to the WBCA’s NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year, for the 2021-22 season. Additionally, she received the 2022 Furfari Award, presented to West Virginia’s College Coach of the Year by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
During her seven-year tenure with the Pioneers, Caldwell amassed a 191-24 record, including a 132-12 slate in the MEC. Her final two seasons saw a combined record of 68-4, including the 35-1 national championship season (22-0 in league play) in 2021-22 and a 33-3 outcome after advancing to the national semifinals in 2022-23. Her final team led NCAA Division II in points per game (91.2) and turnovers forced (27.3).
From 2016 to 2023, she led Glenville to six MEC regular-season titles and four MEC Tournament trophies, earning MEC Coach of the Year honors four times in 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023.
Before her tenure at GSU, she served as an assistant at Sacramento State under Bunky Harkleroad for three seasons from 2013-16, and for the 2012-13 season at Glenville State as an assistant to Harkleroad. Her coaching career commenced at Ohio Valley University, where she served as an assistant from 2011-12.
Originally from Parkersburg, W.Va., Caldwell played a pivotal role in leading GSU to the 2010-11 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship as a player, earning an NCAA Division II Tournament berth. She was honored as the WVIAC Student-Athlete of the Year that season and made the WVIAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll academically as a junior and senior.
