Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Women's Basketball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- ricky.insell@mtsu.edu
- Phone:
- 898-2451
UPDATED: June 2024
No coach in Middle Tennessee women’s basketball history has produced the success that Rick Insell has in 19 seasons. Since his arrival to Middle Tennessee in 2005, Insell has led the Raiders to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, six WNITs, coached seven All-Americans and grew five WNBA Draft picks.
In his 19 seasons, the eight-time hall of fame inductee has established a track record unlike any other in the Lady Raiders’ rich women’s basketball history, while also creating lofty expectations. In 19 seasons leading his alma mater’s women’s basketball program, Insell has also positioned Middle Tennessee as one of the winningest programs nationally.
Head Coach Rick Insell
Has produced 1,238 total victories in a career spanning 40-plus seasons. Record entering 2024-25 season:
463-156 record at Middle Tennessee
775-148 record at Shelbyville Central HS
Inducted into the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association Hall of Fame, 2003... Inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame, February 2007. He is one of only six Tennesseans, and just the fourth coach, elected... 2010 recipient of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s Morgan Wootten Award for Lifetime Achievement for High School Girls Basketball... Inducted into Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, 2012... Inducted into the Cannon County Sports Hall of Fame, 2013... Inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, June 2017... Inducted into the Blue Raiders Sports Hall of Fame, September 2017... Inducted into the Basketball Coaches Association of Tennessee (BCAT) Hall of Fame, October 2021.
Middle Tennessee State University (2005-Present)
Middle Tennessee’s all-time winningest basketball coach (men or women) with 463 wins; Current record is 463-156... Has led the Lady Raiders into 19 consecutive postseason appearances, including 12 NCAA Tournaments... Currently 15th on the NCAA Division I Winningest Coaches List with a .743 winning percentage... Has led Middle Tennessee into six Conference USA Championship games in 10 seasons, winning five (2014, 2016, 2021, 2023, 2024)... Became Middle Tennessee’s all-time winningest basketball coach (men or women) with MT’s 61-46 win against North Texas (1/26/19), which was career win No. 333 at the time... Guided the Lady Raiders to their 1000th win all-time agaisnt Florida A&M (11/9/23), making them one of 25 Division I teams with 1000 or more wins... Led Middle Tennessee to the WNIT semifinals in 2022... Secured career win No. 400 with a 62-44 win vs. Old Dominion (3/5/22)... Accumulated career win No. 350 with a 75-55 triumph vs. Marshall (1/9/20)... Collected career win No. 300 in the 2017-18 season opener at Vanderbilt... Notched career win No. 250 in the first round of the WNIT vs. Ball State in 2015... Team won consecutive postseason games for first time in program history in 2015... Team has notched 20-plus wins 16 of 18 seasons... Team has participated in national postseason tournament 17 consecutive years under Insell (11 NCAAs, 6 WNITs) (NOTE: 2019-20 postseason was cancelled due to COVID-19)... Middle Tennessee has ranked in the Top 30 nationally in attendance 14 of 17 seasons... Only coach in NCAA history to produce three consecutive NCAA scoring champions... Led Middle Tennessee to seven Sun Belt Conference championships in eight-season span... Has developed six All-Americans, five conference players of the year and four WNBA draft picks... Four-time Coach of the Year... Guided Middle Tennessee to school-record 30 wins in 2006-07.
Shelbyville (Tenn.) Central HS (1978-2005)
In 28 seasons, had Shelbyville Central in the Class AAA state championship game 15 times. Class AAA is the highest classification in Tennessee... Led Shelbyville Central High School to a TSSAA record 10 Class AAA state championships... Shelbyville Central was named USA Today National Champions in 1989 & 1991... Posted a 775-148 record for an 84 percent winning percentage... Four-time National Coach of the Year - USA Today 1989, 1991; Converse National High School Coach of the Year 1990, 1992... Guided teams to Tennessee state records for most consecutive wins (110), consecutive state titles (4) and most state championships for a coach (10)... 1991 Shelbyville team selected as the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Team of the Year – the first high school team ever to be recognized... Received invitation to the Oval Office from President George H. W. Bush for academic and athletic achievement... Led Shelbyville to 23 district championships, 16 regional championships and 15 appearances in the TSSAA Class AAA state championship game.
AAU
Won three AAU National Championships (1988, 1998 and 2004)... First coach of the Kodak High School All-American Game in 1992... Served as coach of the South Team at the 2002 Olympic Festival, the first Youth Development Festival by USA Basketball.
Personal
Born June 5, 1951 in Woodbury, Tenn... Married the former Deb Spry... Has three children: Tom, Kyle and Matt... Parents: Charles and Dot Insell.
