Tennessee has appointed Kim Caldwell from Marshall as their new coach.
Tennessee made the decision to hire Marshall coach Kim Caldwell, marking the first time since the departure of the late Pat Summitt in 2012 that the Lady Vols have selected a coach from outside their own ranks.
Caldwell steps in to replace Kellie Harper, who was dismissed from her position last week after coaching at her alma mater for five seasons. Caldwell’s introduction will take place at a press conference scheduled for Tuesday. This move may be viewed as unconventional by some, given that both Harper and her predecessor, Holly Warlick, had strong connections to the program.
However, Caldwell brings a fresh perspective, having spent the previous season at Marshall where she revitalized the program. In her single season as head coach, Marshall secured the Sun Belt championship, achieved a record-breaking 26 wins, and earned a spot in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1997.
Prior to her stint at Marshall, Caldwell spent seven seasons at her alma mater, Division II Glenville State, where she clinched the Division II national championship in 2022. That same year, she was honored with the Pat Summitt Trophy as the WBCA NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year.
Tennessee’s athletics director, Danny White, expressed confidence in Caldwell’s abilities, stating, “From the outset, our aim has been to appoint a dynamic head coach capable of returning our women’s basketball program to national prominence. Kim Caldwell is the ideal candidate to lead us in this endeavor. She has a proven winning formula that has yielded remarkable results wherever she has coached, emphasizing a fast-paced, high-octane offense and aggressive defense. Given the evolving landscape of college sports, it was crucial for us to select an innovative head coach with a history of championship success. We are excited about the prospect of restoring the Lady Vols to their former championship level, and we believe that Kim Caldwell is the coach who can guide us to the top once again.”
