Kim Caldwell is Tennessee women’s basketball’s newest head coach, taking over as the program’s fourth head coach in the NCAA era.
Tennessee Director of Athletics Danny White hired Caldwell to replace Kellie Harper after the former Lady Vols’ point guard spent five seasons leading her alma mater’s program.
Caldwell signed a five-year contract that will pay her a base salary of $750,000, according to a Memorandum of Understanding Signed by Caldwell, White and Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman on Sunday.
Tennessee will pay for “up to $600,000” of Caldwell’s buy out to leave Marshall after just one season to become the Lady Vols’ new head coach.
If Tennessee fires Caldwell without cause before March 31, 2025, they’ll owe Caldwell the entirety of her remaining salary. If the Lady Vols fire Caldwell after that date they’ll owe the young head coach 50% of her remaining salary.
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If Caldwell leaves Tennessee for another Division I head coaching job, she’ll owe the University of Tennessee 50% of her remaining salary.
Caldwell will receive a one-time moving allowance of $35,000 and a monthly vehicle allowance of $1,700 for two vehicles.
Other benefits in Caldwell’s contract include 12 season tickets to Lady Vols’ home games, eight tickets to every Lady Vols’ road game and four season tickets to Tennessee football and men’s basketball home games. Caldwell will also have the use of either a private or charter plane for her and her family to use for three round-trip personal flights inside the continental United States every season.
Caldwell comes to Tennessee after one-season as the head coach at Marshall and seven seasons as the head coach at Division II Glenville State— her alma mater.
In seven seasons leading her alma mater, Caldwell’s teams posted a 191-24 (132-12 Mountain East Conference) record with two trips to the Final Four and one Division II National Championship.
At Marshall, Caldwell led the Thundering Herd to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 27 years. After posting a 17-14 record the season before, Caldwell led Marshall to a 26-7 (17-1 Sun Belt) record and a loss against Virginia Tech in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
