Rick Barnes will stay the coach of the Tennessee Volunteers for the rest of his profession, with the college asserting it has signed the 71-year-old Barnes to a lifetime contract on Thursday.
“Rick has taken our program to unprecedented heights, and we’re completely thrilled to have him proceed teaching on Rocky High for the remainder of his profession,” Tennesse AD Danny White mentioned in a press release. “He has constructed this program the suitable approach, reaching elite-level success on the court docket whereas additionally guaranteeing that each one our gamers excel off the court docket.”
Barnes’ new contract settlement means he’ll get an extra 12 months added on each April 15 to maintain his deal at three years into perpetuity, per 247Sports’ Ben McKee.
Tennessee employed Barnes in 2015 within the wake of Donnie Tyndall’s solely season with this system — a season that ended with him being fired as a consequence of a slew of NCAA violations at his earlier job. Barnes inherited a staff that was coming off a 16-16 marketing campaign, together with a 7-11 file in SEC play.
In his first two years on the job, Barnes slowly constructed Tennessee again right into a aggressive basketball program. In his third season, Barnes led the Vols to a 26-9 file and an SEC common season title. Since then, the Vols have reached the NCAA Match yearly besides 2020, received one other common season title and received the convention event.
During the last two seasons, Barnes has coached Tennessee to back-to-back Elite Eight appearances, which is a primary in program historical past. Since taking up in Knoxville, Barnes has remodeled the Volunteers right into a perennial menace on the nationwide stage.
“I’m extremely grateful God introduced me to the College of Tennessee 10-and-a-half years in the past. It’s an honor and a blessing to function the top basketball coach right here,” Barnes mentioned. “I’ve had the possibility to fulfill so many great individuals, each on and off campus, who’ve impacted my life. The Knoxville neighborhood means a lot not simply to me, however to my total household.
“I’m past grateful to Randy Boyd, Donde Plowman and Danny White for his or her continued perception in our program,” Barnes continued. “Tennessee basketball wouldn’t be the place it’s at present with out the constant efforts of so many gamers, coaches and workers members whom I’m perpetually indebted to. Their relentless dedication and the unequalled assist of Vol Nation are really why we now have been so profitable.”
Waiting for the 2025-26 season, there is no such thing as a motive to consider Barnes shall be slowing down on Rocky High. Whereas Tennessee misplaced stars Zakai Ziegler and Chaz Lanier, the staff signed freshman Nate Ament, the No. 4 total participant within the 2025 signing class in response to 247Sports. The Vols additionally added influence transfers Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Jaylen Carey and Amaree Abraham.
Barnes is the energetic NCAA Division I teaching chief in wins (836) and has gone 232-109 in his decade in Knoxville. Previous to becoming a member of Tennessee, Barnes spent 17 seasons because the coach at Texas, taking the Longhorns to 16 NCAA Match appearances. In his 38-year profession spanning 5 packages, Barnes has taken his staff to the NCAA Match 29 instances, and has constantly been one of many high coaches in school basketball.