Matthew Mitchell
	Position: Head Coach Years at UK: Fifth Year

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Kentucky head coach Matthew Mitchell's teams are known for using three "winning tools" for success: honesty, hard work and discipline. So it's no surprise that in just four seasons at the helm, he has used those winning tools to build a program that has quickly ascended back into the national spotlight.

Under his leadership, the Wildcats have advanced to four consecutive postseason tournaments, including back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in 28 years. UK has also finished second in the Southeastern Conference race, advanced to the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game and charted over 20 wins in consecutive seasons, including a school-record 28 victories in 2009-10.

In the last two seasons alone, the Wildcats have defeated 10 nationally-ranked opponents, finished in the top 25 of the national polls, garnered top 25 rankings in average attendance and recorded a remarkable 30-2 record in Memorial Coliseum.

Eight different players have received All-SEC accolades, including Victoria Dunlap who was named UK's first SEC Player of the Year and first SEC Defensive Player of the Year. She also was just the second player in school history to be named to the prestigious WBCA/State Farm All-America team. In the classroom, seven Wildcats have been SEC Academic Honor Roll members over 12 times and all 10 players in their final season of eligibility received their degree.

Mitchell's success on the hardwood has already moved him up to No. 4 in all-time wins at Kentucky with 86. His winning percentage of 63.7 percent (86-49) ranks third.

Last season, Mitchell once again led the Wildcats to an outstanding season with a 25-9 overall record and a school-record-tying 11 wins (11-5) in the SEC. UK took a second-place finish in the league standings for the second-consecutive year and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament as the No. 4 seed.

Year three proved to be the best year yet, as Mitchell was named SEC Coach of the Year for his remarkable job in turning around a team that went 16-16 overall, 5-9 in conference play a year prior, to an impressive 28-8 overall record in 2009-10. The Cats' 28 overall wins, including 11 SEC wins, were school records. UK finished second in the league despite being picked to finish 11th in the preseason polls.

Mitchell became Kentucky's head coach on April 23, 2007, when he was hired by Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart. A whirlwind salesman, Mitchell presented a vision of UK Hoops as a powerhouse program; and a warm and loving family. His pitch has resonated with recruits and their families as he has signed a top-10 recruiting class nationally for next season. UK's roster will boast three highly touted freshmen, including Bria Goss, a top-20 recruit according to ESPN HoopGurlz.

In his first season with the Wildcats, Mitchell led UK to a school-record fourth-consecutive postseason tournament. The Wildcats posted a 17-16 overall record and finished fourth in the SEC with an 8-6 mark, just one win shy of the school record. The eight league wins were the most conference wins by a first-year head coach in UK Hoops history. Mitchell also became the first head coach in UK Hoops history to lead his team to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament in his/her debut season. The Wildcats earned a first-round bye and upset No. 23/21 Georgia in the quarterfinals (57-50) before falling to NCAA Final Four participant LSU in the semis. UK went on to defeat Middle Tennessee and James Madison in the postseason WNIT before falling to eventual champion Marquette in the quarterfinals, 69-64.

Despite another tough schedule and injuries to key players throughout the season, the Wildcats again advanced to postseason play with a second-round finish in the WNIT in his second season. It marked their school-record fifth consecutive postseason tournament appearance. Mitchell became the first head coach since Terry Hall in the 1980-81 and 1981-82 seasons to advance to postseason play in his first two seasons as head coach.

The Cats finished 16-16 overall, 5-9 in the SEC and defeated No. 13/19 Tennessee 66-56, their first win over the Lady Vols in Memorial Coliseum in 23 years. Mitchell also captured his 30th win at UK on Feb. 5, 2009, vs. South Carolina. He did it in only 56 games, becoming the second-fastest coach to reach 30 wins behind Hall who earned it in only 38 games during her first two seasons in 1980 and 1981.

Mitchell came to Kentucky in the spring of 2007 when Mickie DeMoss resigned as head coach after four seasons. So when Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart went about the daunting task of finding a coach whose skills, personality and charisma could build on the success and excitement that DeMoss had brought to the program, he immediately thought of Mitchell, who had played a key role in UK Hoops landing four brilliant prep performers in the fall of 2004 - a class ranked No. 6 by the All-Star Girls Report.

In his first season as an assistant coach under DeMoss at UK, Mitchell helped lure former Wildcats Chanté Bowman, Samantha Mahoney and Eleia Roddy away from Big Ten powers Michigan State and Ohio State while convincing 6-6 center Sarah Elliott, a Kentucky high school legend, to stay at home.

Mitchell then became a key factor in the development and improvement of UK's young post players. Elliott ranked in the top 10 in two Southeastern Conference statistical categories and was named to the 2004-05 SEC All-Freshman team. Forward Jennifer Humphrey - then a sophomore - also flourished under Mitchell's direction, leading the team in rebounding and ranking 15th in that category in the SEC in 2004-2005. She finished her college career as UK's second all-time leading rebounder.

When DeMoss resigned and buzz around the Bluegrass quickly shifted to her replacement, Barnhart needed to look no further than 60 miles east on Interstate 64, where Mitchell already had established himself as an up-and-coming head coach at in-state OVC school Morehead State.

When Barnhart interviewed Mitchell, Morehead State was fresh off two exciting campaigns in which he had revived a declining Lady Eagles women's basketball program with a 30-29 record (.508) - the third-highest coach's winning percentage in school history. The Lady Eagles were coming off a 5-22 record a year prior to Mitchell's arrival and earned a 16-13 overall mark and 11-9 league record in his first season. The Lady Eagles also reached the semifinals of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

In his second season, Mitchell guided Morehead to a third-place finish in the league with a school-record 13 conference wins. During the season, the Lady Eagles strung together a nine-game winning streak, the program's longest in 20 seasons.

Mitchell's two-year MSU conference record of 24-16 (.600) marks the second-highest OVC winning percentage in school history. He was only the third coach in the program's history to post an overall winning record during his tenure.

Barnhart also was impressed with Mitchell's coaching pedigree. He had served as an assistant coach and recruiter at Florida under Carol Ross beginning in 2000. He helped the Gators compile a 51-36 record, and during his first two seasons the Gators recorded a 19-9 league record en route to two NCAA Tournament (2001 and 2002) appearances. With Mitchell's help, the Gators had a program-tying 24 wins and tied the school record with 11 SEC wins in 2001. He stayed at Florida to serve under then-new UF Coach Carolyn Peck during the 2002-03 season. As the primary recruiter at UF, Mitchell brought in the nation's ninth-ranked recruiting class in 2002 and the No. 2-ranked class by All-Star Girls Report in 2003.

The Louisville, Miss., native began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Tennessee under Hall of Fame Coach Pat Summitt during the Lady Vols' run to the Final Four in 2000. UT advanced to the national championship game before losing to top-ranked Connecticut. The Lady Vols finished No. 2 in the national polls with a 33-4 overall record and a 13-1 mark in the SEC.

Prior to his stint at Tennessee, Mitchell spent one year in Yazoo City, Miss., as a coach and teacher at Manchester Academy. He taught American history and served as both the boys' and girls' head basketball coach.
A 1995 graduate of Mississippi State, Mitchell's first head-coaching experience came in 1996 at Central Holmes Academy High School in Lexington, Miss. Mitchell performed multiple duties at the school, including head coach of both basketball teams as well as the track and golf teams. He also served as the defensive coordinator for the football team.

Mitchell, 40, is married to Jenna Ramsey Mitchell of Amelia Island, Fla., and has two daughters, Lacy Mitchell, of Madison, Miss., and newborn Saylor Rose Mitchell. The couple are very active in community service as Jenna serves on the board of the Children's Advocacy Center and Matthew volunteers his time for several area charities and organizations. Matthew also is an honorary Rotarian in the Lexington chapter.

Mitchell Year-By-Year

What They're Saying About Matthew Mitchell

"I am excited for Matthew and for the program. Having worked with Matthew at Tennessee and Kentucky, I know what he's capable of and he is very talented. I am confident that he can continue guiding the program on the right track with his leadership. Matthew's knowledge of the game, his communication skills, his relationships with players, and his strong ability to recruit makes him the total package. The players will respond well to him and he will be able to relate well to the community. The Kentucky fan base will continue to grow under his leadership."
- Mickie DeMoss, former Kentucky women's basketball coach

"I'm so excited for Matthew. He made it clear to me at Tennessee that he wanted to be involved in the women's game and I really enjoyed having him on our staff. I know he enjoyed working with Coach DeMoss at Kentucky as an assistant but I think it was good that he went away for his first head coaching job. It's great to have him back in the league."
- Pat Summitt, Tennessee women's basketball coach

"Matthew Mitchell is a great hire for Kentucky. He can continue the great tradition that Mickie DeMoss started there. He has similar qualities as Coach DeMoss as he is out-going, has high energy and a positive attitude. He is not only going to be great for Kentucky but for the SEC as well."
- Carol Ross, former Ole Miss women's basketball coach

"Watching Matthew as an assistant coach at Kentucky and Florida, I knew it wouldn't be long until he became a head coach at a big-time program. It's great to get a person with his energy, passion and knowledge of the game back in the SEC."
- Dave Neal, play-by-play announcer for SEC women's college basketball

"Kentucky made a great hire by getting Matthew Mitchell back. He helped Mickie DeMoss build the women's basketball program to where it is today. His energy, love of the game, and love of the Kentucky program make him a great choice."
- Lin Dunn - WNBA Indiana Fever head coach