(Image via WDRB News)
Mitch Barnhart, the UK Athletics Director, released a statement on Tuesday afternoon regarding the departure of head coach John Calipari.
“We’re appreciative of John Calipari leading our program for the last 15 years, adding to the legacy of championship success at Kentucky. We’re grateful to John for his many contributions to the University, and our state, both on and off the court. We are working diligently to hire a proven, highly dedicated coach who embraces the importance of this program to our fans and the state of Kentucky.”
John Calipari leaves the program after 15 seasons and it’s expected for him to accept the Arkansas coaching job, although, he has not publicly announced that himself just yet.
The head coach finished his time in Lexington with a 410-123 record on the court, including a National Championship in 2012.
It’s been an insane 48 hours that have emotions all over the place, and a breakup that officially ends one chapter of Kentucky Basketball and opens up the next one. I can speak for myself and say it sure was a fun chapter for nearly the entire time, with an ending that just wasn’t positive for either side in terms of the final few years. The rockstar spotlight of John Calipari is one I will always remember and Kentucky was a great match for a long, long time. That’s currently no longer the case unfortunately, and both parties are moving on.