Tennessee Hires Marshall's Kim Caldwell as Next Women's Basketball Coach

In a bid to return to its former glory, one of women's college basketball's most storied programs is turning to a rising coaching star.

Tennessee is hiring Marshall coach Kim Caldwell as its next head coach, the Volunteers announced in a Sunday afternoon release.

"From the beginning, our goal has been to find a dynamic head coach who can restore our women's basketball program to national prominence. Kim Caldwell is the ideal person to lead us," Volunteers athletic director Danny White said in a statement.

By its lofty standards, Tennessee is mired in a protracted funk on the hardwood. The Volunteers have not been to the Final Four since they won the national title in 2008 with the legendary Pat Summitt as head coach.

To that end, Tennessee dismissed coach Kellie Harper—a former player under Summitt—on April 1.

In her one season leading the Thundering Herd, Caldwell steered the program to a 26-7 record and a sweep of the conference regular season and tournament titles.