Tennessee has made a significant addition to their coaching staff by bringing on board Kim Caldwell, the former coach of Marshall. With this move, Caldwell becomes the fourth head coach in the illustrious history of the Lady Vols’ program.
Athletic director Danny White wasted no time in announcing the hiring on Sunday, shortly after the conclusion of the women’s national championship game. It has been over a decade since the Lady Vols last competed in this prestigious game, winning their eighth and final national title under the guidance of Pat Summitt in 2008.
Caldwell is set to be introduced in a news conference on Tuesday, concluding the coaching search that began on April 1 when Kellie Harper was fired after five seasons and a 108-52 record at her alma mater.
In a statement, White expressed that their objective has always been to discover a dynamic head coach who can bring back their women’s basketball program to its former national prominence. He further stated that Kim Caldwell is the perfect individual to lead them towards achieving this goal.
In recognition of her exceptional performance at Marshall, Caldwell was honored with the prestigious 2024 Maggie Dixon NCAA Division I Rookie Coach of the Year award. Under her guidance, the team achieved a remarkable record of 26 wins and 7 losses, securing the program’s second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance and the first since 1997. With an impressive coaching career spanning eight seasons, Caldwell boasts an outstanding record of 217 victories and only 31 defeats.
In just her sixth season at Glenville State, she guided the team to clinch the 2022 Division II national championship. Throughout her tenure, the team secured an impressive seven NCAA Tournament berths. Recognizing her outstanding coaching abilities, Caldwell was honored with the prestigious Pat Summitt Trophy for the 2021-22 season, awarded by the WBCA as the NCAA Division II Coach of the Year.
