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PrintLEXINGTON, Ky. (KT) -- As expected, Kentucky coach John Calipari will return as head coach next season, according to a statement from athletics director Mitch Barnhart.
"As we normally do at the end of every season, Coach Calipari and I have had conversations about the direction of our men's basketball program and I can confirm that he will return for his 16th season as our head coach," Barnhart said in a statement.
Earlier in the evening, Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio reported on X, formerly Twitter, that his sources said Calipari would be back.
Details of what was discussed at the meeting between Calipari and Barnhart were not made available.
On his radio show Monday night, Calipari said the Wildcats will need to get back to the success he enjoyed early in his tenure when he won the 2012 national championship and was in two other Final Fours.
"There were games this year that all we tried to do is outscore people, and I know for us to get where we're trying to go, we got to get back to who we've been defensively and with that physicality," Calipari said. "I've always known that your defense steadies you when you're not making shots, or you get a little anxious and you're turning it (over), you're missing shots. Your defense settles you. And there's a game where your offense is not there. You have to be good in your defense, but we got to get back to that."
Calipari's job came under fire after the Wildcats lost to a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years, falling to 14th-seeded Oakland, 80-76, after being shocked by 15th-seeded St. Peter's two years ago. The Wildcats, who came in the No. 3 seed this season despite a loss to Texas A&M in the SEC quarterfinals, finished 23-10.
"They don't put Final Four banners up, only national championship banners," Calipari said Monday on his season-wrapping radio show. "My standard is we're playing to play deep into the NCAA Tournament and compete for national titles and win national titles. I wanted this job knowing that was the case. I loved this job knowing that was the case. I never left this job. But that's what the standard is for me."
