The Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball family just welcomed its newest and tiniest member. Head coach Kim Caldwell, 36, gave birth to a son on Thursday, the university announced ahead of the 17th-ranked Lady Vols’ showdown against No. 7 Texas.
Caldwell and her husband Justin are now the proud parents of Conor Scott Caldwell. The school assured fans that mom, dad, and baby are all doing well. But the joyous personal occasion means Caldwell will not travel with her team for the high-profile road test in Austin.
Assistant Burdette Takes the Reins
In Caldwell’s absence, assistant coach Jenna Burdette will step in as acting head coach. Burdette, who is in her fourth season working alongside Caldwell, faces the tall task of leading the Lady Vols against a top-10 opponent on the road without her mentor.
The timing is less than ideal from a basketball standpoint, as Tennessee aims to bounce back from a stinging one-point loss at Vanderbilt last Sunday – the final game Caldwell coached before her maternity leave began. The Lady Vols (15-6) have now dropped three of their last four and are in dire need of a signature win to boost their NCAA tournament resume.
Uncharted Territory for UT
This marks uncharted territory for one of the NCAA’s premier women’s basketball programs. In the Lady Vols’ storied history, no head coach has ever missed game action due to childbirth.
Legendary coach Pat Summitt was already a mother when she took over in 1974 and went on to lead Tennessee for 38 seasons, capturing eight national titles. Her successor Holly Warlick did not have any children.
“Life doesn’t stop for basketball. We’re thrilled for Kim and her family and support her 100 percent, however long she needs to be with them.”
– Joan Cronan, Tennessee Athletic Director Emeritus
Caldwell, a former standout point guard at UCLA, was hired last April after just one season as head coach at Marshall. Her husband Justin works on the Tennessee men’s basketball staff as a player development coordinator.
Next Up: Mighty South Carolina
Regardless of Thursday’s result in Austin, it will be a quick turnaround for the Lady Vols. They return home to Knoxville to host the mighty South Carolina Gamecocks, the defending national champs and current No. 2 team in the country, on Monday.
Caldwell’s status remains day-to-day as she recovers and tends to her newborn son. The university said it will provide further updates on her return to the sidelines as appropriate. In the meantime, the entire Tennessee community sends its love and congratulations to the growing Caldwell family and wishes Coach Kim a speedy return to her team.
