Tennessee announces Rick Barnes contract extension

Tennessee announced it extended the contract of head men's basketball coach Rick Barnes through the 2027-28 season in a Tuesday release. 

"We are thrilled to be able to extend Rick and continue to build on the tremendous men's basketball program he has developed here on Rocky Top," Tennessee director of athletics Danny White said in Tuesday's release. "He has infused a fantastic culture within our team and our players have represented Tennessee in a first-class manner both on the court and in the classroom.

"Our fans have responded to help create an electric atmosphere on gamedays and I can't wait to watch the Vols continue our quest for more championships under Rick's leadership."

The Volunteers hired Barnes in 2015 after spending the previous 17 seasons with the Texas Longhorns. The former Ohio State and Alabama assistant helped guide Tennessee to a Sweet 16 appearance in 2023, and the Volunteers have played in five of the last six NCAA tournaments. 

Keeping Barnes under contract for the next few seasons will ensure Tennessee is in good hands for at least the foreseeable future. He will join guard Santiago Vescovi, the team's leading scorer from last season, who announced his decision to return to the program in April. Tennessee has two four-star enrollees and one four-star transfer in its 2023 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.

"Tennessee has always been great to me and my family," Barnes said in the release. "I thank Danny and this great University for the opportunity as we gear up for the upcoming season. 

"With all of the excitement surrounding campus and the city of Knoxville as a whole, I'm thrilled that we can continue being a part of that positive momentum on campus. I'm extremely blessed and don't take any of it for granted. It's an exciting time to be a Vol."