Rick Barnes will remain the coach of the Tennessee Volunteers for the remainder of his career, with the school announcing they’d signed the 71-year-old Barnes to a lifetime contract on Thursday.
“Rick has taken our program to unprecedented heights, and we are absolutely thrilled to have him continue coaching on Rocky Top for the rest of his career,” Tennesse AD Danny White said in a statement. “He has constructed this program the right way, achieving elite-level success on the court while also ensuring that all our players excel off the court.”
Barnes’ new contract agreement means he will get an additional year added on every April 15 to keep his deal at three years into perpetuity, per 247Sports’ Ben McKee.
Barnes is the active NCAA Division I coaching leader in wins (836) and has gone 232-109 in his decade in Knoxville. Prior to joining Tennessee, Barnes spent 17 seasons as the coach at Texas, taking the Longhorns to 16 NCAA Tournament appearances. In his 38-year career spanning five programs, Barnes has taken his team to the NCAA Tournament 29 times, and has consistently been one of the top coaches in college basketball.
“I am incredibly thankful God brought me to the University of Tennessee 10-and-a-half years ago. It is an honor and a blessing to serve as the head basketball coach here,” Barnes said. “I have had the chance to meet so many wonderful people, both on and off campus, who have impacted my life. The Knoxville community means so much not just to me, but to my entire family.
“I am beyond grateful to Randy Boyd, Donde Plowman and Danny White for their continued belief in our program,” Barnes continued. “Tennessee basketball would not be where it is today without the consistent efforts of so many players, coaches and staff members whom I am forever indebted to. Their relentless dedication and the unrivaled support of Vol Nation are truly why we have been so successful.”
Last year, Tennessee went 30-8 and earned a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Elite 8 where they lost to top-seeded Houston.
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