Tennessee extends Lady Vols coach Kim Caldwell’s deal after debut season

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.

"I am grateful for Danny's continued trust and belief in me after a foundational first season here at Tennessee," Caldwell said. "I am very proud of our players and staff for the effort they put in and for what we accomplished together. I look forward to getting back to work, finding ways we can improve our program and continuing to take the steps necessary to compete for championships."

Caldwell installed a fast-paced attack that mimics hockey with how she subs in players in bunches. The Lady Vols also set Southeastern Conference and program records for 3-pointers made (343) and attempted (1,054). They finished the season second in the country in 3s per game at 10.1 and third in scoring offense at 86.6 points.

Tennessee set NCAA, SEC and school records for 3s in a game with 30 on Dec. 14 against North Carolina Central. The Lady Vols scored 139 points in that game, a program high that tied for fifth-most in Division I history.

Caldwell also has a five-player signing class rated No. 1 by 247Sports and No. 2 by ESPN.