Former Kentucky women’s basketball head coach Matthew Mitchell has been hired to a five-year contract as the next women’s basketball coach at the University of Houston.
“I am incredibly excited and deeply grateful for the opportunity to become the Women’s Basketball head coach at the University of Houston,” Mitchell said in the announcement.
Mitchell was the head coach of Kentucky for 13 years, becoming the winningest coach in the program’s history. He finished his tenure with a 303–133 record and announced his retirement on Nov. 12, 2020.
His decision came following a challenging offseason that included a serious head injury and subsequent brain surgery following a concussion he suffered while on a family vacation in Mexico.
Mitchell described the offseason as “life-altering” for him and his family, which led the 49-year-old into early retirement.
“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,” he said. “My priorities toward my family and faith have grown even larger than before, and that has led me to make this decision.”
Mitchell took over as Kentucky’s head coach on April 23, 2007, after two seasons leading Morehead State and with previous assistant coaching positions at Tennessee, Florida and Kentucky.
Under his leadership, the Wildcats became a national contender, earning three SEC Coach of the Year honors (2010, 2012, 2016).
He led the team to several deep NCAA Tournament runs, including three Elite Eights, and coached five SEC Player of the Year selections and 21 All-SEC honorees.
He also developed six WNBA draft picks, led by Rhyne Howard, who went No. 1 overall in the 2022 WNBA draft.
During the 2009–10 season, Kentucky finished 28–8 after being picked to finish 11th in the conference, earning Mitchell his first SEC Coach of the Year award.
That year, UK joined the 1998 undefeated Tennessee team, becoming only the second program in conference history to sweep three SEC postseason awards: Mitchell as SEC Coach of the Year, Victoria Dunlap as SEC Player of the Year and A’dia Mathies as SEC Freshman of the Year.
Over the next several seasons, the Wildcats consistently remained among the SEC’s best. In the 2011-12 season, the program finished with a 28–7 overall record and a perfect 18–0 mark at home.
The Wildcats captured their first SEC regular-season championship since 1982 with a 13–3 record in conference play and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years.
They finished No. 12 in the final AP Poll and No. 8 in the Coaches Poll, the highest final ranking in program history. For the second time in three seasons, the Associated Press named Mitchell SEC Coach of the Year.
There were whispers of Mitchell returning to the coaching game for an SEC school, but he ended up opting for the Big 12 and UH.
“We are thrilled to welcome Matthew Mitchell and his family to the University of Houston,” said Eddie Nuñez, VP of Athletics at Houston, in the announcement. “Our Women’s Basketball program is in great hands and with continued support, we will soon be competing for championships!”
Mitchell also expressed his gratitude toward the university and leaders in the announcement.
“This is a true honor—stepping into this role in a city with such a rich basketball history. I want to begin by extending my heartfelt thanks to President Renu Khator and Eddie Nuñez for their belief in me to elevate this program to compete at the highest level in the country. Their trust in me means the world, and I’m eager to begin this journey alongside them,” he said. “We aim to create the most meaningful and impactful experience a student-athlete can have. We are committed to building a culture based on the core values of honesty, hard work, and discipline.”
