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Sports

Rick Barnes lands at Tennessee

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Knoxville, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Rick Barnes wasn't out of a job for long.

Just two days after his official departure from Texas, Barnes was named the new men's basketball coach at Tennessee on Tuesday.

"Walking through here and seeing everything (on campus), It was so easy for me to get energized and to step back and realize just how fortunate and just blessed I am to have this opportunity," Barnes said at his introductory press conference.

Barnes spent 17 seasons at Texas, leading the Longhorns to the NCAA Tournament 16 times while posting a record of 402-180. This year's squad finished 20-14, falling to Butler in its NCAA Tournament opener.

It had appeared Barnes was set to remain in Austin immediately after the season, but things changed quickly and the school announced a mutual parting on Sunday, although Barnes said he wanted to stay.

Barnes is the winningest coach in Texas history. The Longhorns claimed three Big 12 titles under his watch and set a school record with 13 straight 20-win seasons from 1999-2000 through 2011-12. However, the team never lived up to lofty postseason expectations, reaching the Final Four just once during his tenure -- in 2003.

In 28 seasons as a collegiate head coach, Barnes owns a record of 604-314. He began at George Mason in 1987-88, then spent six years at Providence and four years at Clemson before his lengthy run at Texas.

"Rick Barnes is an elite basketball coach in every respect," said Tennessee athletic director Dave Hart in a statement Tuesday. "Rick brings an extremely impressive track record of excellence, as well as much-needed stability, to our men's basketball program. This is an exciting day for our Tennessee family."

Barnes will become the third head coach in three seasons at Tennessee. He'll replace Donnie Tyndall, who was 16-16 in his lone season with the Vols and was fired last Friday after the school was informed by the NCAA of significant violations under his watch at Southern Mississippi.

Tyndall had taken over the Tennessee program after Cuonzo Martin left to take the vacancy at California.