LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Underscored by more victories than any other coach or program over the last 10 seasons, more Final Four appearances, a record number of NBA Draft picks, and the 2012 national championship, John Calipari was named the College Basketball Coach of the Decade by Sporting News on Monday.
Now in his 11th season in 2019-20, Calipari owns more wins, more NCAA Tournament victories, more Final Four appearances, more Elite Eight berths and more Sweet 16 showings than any other coach since arriving at Kentucky.
With a 313-74 record at UK through last week’s game vs. Ohio State, he trails only Adolph Rupp, in total wins as the head coach of the Wildcats.
His winning percentage of .809 at Kentucky is only fractions behind Rupp’s pace through his first 387 games at UK, and he surpassed Rupp during the Wildcats’ 2019 Elite Eight run for the most NCAA Tournament victories (31) as Kentucky’s head coach.
When he reached the 300-win mark at UK last season, he became the fourth-fastest coach to 300 wins at one program in NCAA history.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer (first ballot) led Kentucky to a national championship and four Final Fours (2011, ‘12, ‘14 and ‘15) in a five-season span, just the third coach (John Wooden and Mike Krzyzewski) in the history of college basketball to accomplish such a feat.
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