Two-time SEC Coach of the Year Matthew Mitchell retired at 49 after 15 years of head coaching experience. But why did he retire so young? And why was he able to come back to lead the Houston Cougars’ women’s team?
Mathew Mitchell became Kentucky’s head coach in 2007 and spent 13 years at the helm before calling it quits. He made nine trips to the NCAA Tournament in 13 seasons, including two trips to the Elite Eight, before stepping down due to health issues in 2020.
Why Did Matthew Mitchell Leave Kentucky?
It is very rare for a coach at the peak of his powers to retire from the game, but Mitchell did.
In 2020, Matthew Mitchell retired from coaching, and associate head coach Kyra Elzy was named as his successor at Kentucky following months of recovery after suffering a concussion from an accident. The accident happened during a family vacation in Mexico about eight months earlier.
“After many conversations with my family and Mr. Barnhart, I have decided to retire from coaching and effectively have resigned as head coach at Kentucky,” Mitchell said. “This was a difficult decision, and I know the timing is not ideal, but I do not feel I can give the job what it requires at this time.”
Mitchell underwent surgery for blood on the brain, which he opened up about.
“…As has been much publicized, I have had an eventful offseason with my injury and subsequent surgery. I have been open about the fact that the surgery and recovery process has been life-altering for me and my family.”
Mitchell’s Kentucky Coaching Career
Three years into his appointment, Mitchell was named SEC Coach of the Year for the first time. The Wildcats swept all the major postseason awards in the 2009-10 season, joining the 1998 Tennessee squad as the only teams to achieve such a feat in SEC women’s basketball history.
Mitchell sits fourth in all-time wins at Kentucky with 86 and has a winning percentage of 63.7%.
In his fourth season at Kentucky, Mitchell once again led the Wildcats to a superb season with a 25–9 overall record and a school-record-tying 11 wins in the SEC. Kentucky took a second-place finish in the league standings for the second consecutive year and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament as the No. 4 seed.
In 2011-12, Mitchell led Kentucky to one of the most successful seasons in school history. The Wildcats had a 28–7 record, including an 18–0 record at home, and an appearance in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years.
They also won their first SEC regular-season championship since 1982 with a 13–3 record in league play, setting a school record.
RELATED: Houston Cougars Hire Former Kentucky HC Matthew Mitchell to Lead Women’s Team
The Kentucky Wildcats finished No. 12 in the final AP poll & No. 8 in final USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll, marking their highest final AP ranking since 1983 when they finished 11th and the highest final ranking in the coaches’ poll in school history. Mitchell was named SEC Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons by the AP.
Now, five years after retiring due to medical complications, Mitchell will return to coaching. It was announced on Thursday, March 27, that the Houston Cougars women’s team hired the coach to take over for the program, which hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament in over a decade. Will he see the same success as he saw in Lexington?
Don’t miss a moment of March Madness! Download your 2025 NCAA Tournament printable bracket and stay on top of every game, matchup, and Cinderella story. Get yours now!
