Head Coach Kim Caldwell is leading the Tennessee Lady Vols in her first season as head coach, but she isn’t the only basketball mind in the family. Her husband, Justin Caldwell, has built a coaching career of his own and now works within Tennessee’s men’s basketball program.
With the couple recently welcoming their first child, interest in Justin Caldwell has grown. So who is he? Let’s take a closer look at his background, coaching career, and connection to Kim Caldwell.
Who Is Kim Caldwell’s Husband?
Justin Caldwell is a former college basketball coach and current player development coordinator for the Tennessee men’s basketball team. A West Virginia native, Caldwell built his career through the Division II coaching ranks before joining the Volunteers in September 2023.
His basketball journey began as a standout player in college, where he scored nearly 2,000 points before transitioning to coaching.
Justin Caldwell’s Coaching Career
Justin Caldwell began coaching in 2013 as an assistant at Glenville State, his alma mater. He spent three seasons there before moving to California University of Pennsylvania. In 2018, he returned to Glenville State as head coach, leading the Pioneers for five years.
In 2023, he moved up to the Division I level, joining Marshall’s men’s basketball staff as an assistant coach. That same year, Kim Caldwell was named the head coach of Marshall’s women’s program, guiding the team to a program-record 26 wins and an NCAA Tournament appearance in her lone season.
After Kim Caldwell took over the Lady Vols in 2024, Justin made the move to Knoxville, where he now works alongside Rick Barnes and Tennessee’s men’s basketball staff.
Kim and Justin Caldwell’s Relationship Timeline
Basketball has been a central theme in Kim and Justin Caldwell’s relationship. The two met at Glenville State, where their senior seasons overlapped in 2010-11. Kim played four seasons for the Pioneers from 2007-11, while Justin transferred for his final college season, averaging an impressive 23.7 points per game.
The couple married in May 2023, just weeks before Kim was hired by Marshall. Less than a year later, she took over at Tennessee, and Justin followed, continuing his career on the men’s basketball side.
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On Jan. 20, 2025, Kim and Justin Caldwell welcomed their first child, Conor Scott Caldwell. His middle name is a tribute to Kim’s late father, Scott Stephens, who passed away in 2020.
Tennessee announced the birth of Conor just before the Lady Vols’ game against Texas, with the team sharing that “Mom, dad, and baby are doing well.”
Kim wasted no time getting back to work, returning to practice just days later. Meanwhile, her mother, Linda Stephens, has moved to Knoxville to help with childcare throughout the remainder of the season.
HOW MUCH DOES KIM CALDWELL MAKE? TAKE A LOOK AT HER CONTRACT DETAILS.
The Caldwells have built their lives around basketball, and now both are part of Tennessee’s program. As Kim leads the Lady Vols, Justin contributes to the men’s team.
With their coaching backgrounds and a new addition to their family, it’s an exciting chapter for the Caldwells in Knoxville.
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