Tennessee Extends the Contract of Lady Vols Coach Kim Caldwell
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee has rewarded coach Kim Caldwell with a one-year extension through the end of the 2029-30 season that includes a pay raise after she took the Lady Vols to the Sweet 16 in her first year.
University spokesman Jason Baum confirmed to The Associated Press that the deal was verbally agreed to Monday. No details of the raise were immediately available.
Caldwell was paid a base salary of $750,000 under the deal signed during the winter. She also received bonuses of $40,000 for winning an NCAA Tournament game and $75,000 for reaching the Sweet 16. The fifth-seeded Lady Vols lost 67-59 on Saturday to No. 1 seed Texas in a women’s NCAA Tournament regional semifinal in Birmingham, Alabama.
“In just one season, we experienced firsthand how her winning formula can revolutionize the game with her dynamic, high-octane offense and relentless defense,” Tennessee athletic director Danny White said in a statement. “The promising future of Lady Vols basketball is in great hands under Kim’s leadership, setting the stage for a remarkable journey ahead!”
Caldwell, who missed only a week during the season after giving birth to her son, Conor, went 24-10 in her first season with Tennessee and just her second at the Division I level. Those 24 wins ranked second only to Holly Warlick’s 27 in 2012-13 among first-year Lady Vols coaches. Tennessee reached a 43rd consecutive NCAA Tournament and a record 37th Sweet 16.
Along the way, Tennessee beat then-No. 5 UConn with 16,215 fans on hand — the Lady Vols’ biggest crowd since 2011-12, which was the late Pat Summitt’s final season as coach. The Lady Vols averaged 10,647 per game, which ranked fifth nationally and was Tennessee’s best season average since 2013-14.