Tennessee basketball signs Rick Barnes to deal that truly makes him a Vol for Life

Rick Barnes is a V-O-L for life.

The 71- year-old coach signed a lifetime contract with Tennessee and will lead the program until he decides to step down. The details of the contract will keep it as a three-year deal in perpetuity with an additional year added every April 15.

Barnes has been at Tennessee since 2015 and has a 232-109 record in Knoxville. His teams won the SEC regular season championship in 2018 and 2024 and won the SEC tournament in 22. The Volunteers have made the elite eight the past two seasons. 

"I am incredibly thankful God brought me to the University of Tennessee 10-and-a-half years ago," Barnes said in the official press release. "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."

Still searching for a championship

Barnes has been coaching for nearly 50 years and is in his 38th season as a head coach. Previously, Barnes was at George Mason, Providence, Clemson and Texas. He led the Longhorns to a Final Four appearance in 2003 and his 836 wins are the most by any current active Division 1 basketball coach.

Last season, Tennessee finished 30-8, the third time a Volunteers men's basketball team reached 30 wins and the second time they've done it under Barnes. They lost to eventual finalist Houston in the Elite Eight.

"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," Volunteers athletic director Danny White said. "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."

Tennessee basketball will begin its season on October 26 in an exhibition home game against Duke. The Vols will have a rematch with Houston on November 25 as part of the Players Era Men's championship tournament in Las Vegas.