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Tennessee signs coach Rick Barnes to contract extension through 2023-24 season
By Jake Rill
Published:
Rick Barnes isn’t leaving Tennessee anytime soon.
On Thursday, director of athletics Phillip Fulmer announced that Barnes, last year’s SEC Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year, has been signed to a contract extension through the 2023-24 season.
“Rick has done an exceptional job of reestablishing our men’s basketball program into a championship-level program,” Fulmer said in a press release. “He stepped into what was a difficult situation as our program was struggling to find stability, and he’s very quickly instilled a winning culture during a time when Southeastern Conference basketball is becoming increasingly competitive. He runs his program the right way, surrounds himself with an incredible staff and he loves his players and pours himself into their development both on and off the court.
“Our run to an SEC championship last season energized the entire Tennessee fan base in a very special way, and I believe that energy and excitement will continue to flourish with Rick leading our program forward.”
Last year, the Vols went 26-9, notching the fourth most wins in a season in program history. They won the regular-season SEC championship, reached the championship game in the SEC Tournament and earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the Round of 32.
Barnes has been at Tennessee for three seasons, going 57-44. Prior to that, he served as the coach at George Mason (1987-88), Providence (1988-94), Clemson (1994-98) and Texas (1998-2015).
“Tennessee is a very special place, and I believe this program is capable of accomplishing very special things,” Barnes said in a press release. “I particularly appreciate the commitment that Phillip Fulmer and Chancellor [Wayne] Davis have made to my staff. I truly believe I’m surrounded by the best staff in college basketball. I also appreciate the way Tennessee fans have embraced the program and supported our players.”
The Vols are poised to have another strong season in 2018-19, as they return their top six scorers from last year, which includes all five of their starters.
Jake Rill contributes to news coverage for Saturday Down South. He has covered the SEC since 2016.
