MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Rick Insell, whose 505 wins in 21 seasons leading the Middle Tennessee State University women’s basketball team are the most in Blue Raiders history, announced his retirement Thursday.
Insell’s retirement will follow MTSU’s participation in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. The Blue Raiders (16-15), who received a first-round bye in the 48-team bracket, will host St. Bonaventure (17-15) — a 75-69 overtime winner against Drexel on Thursday — on Monday night.
Insell, 74, will be succeeded by his son, Matt Insell, who had been associate head coach for the Blue Raiders. Matt was the head coach of the Ole Miss women’s basketball program from 2013 to 2018 before joining his father’s staff in Murfreesboro.
An introductory news conference is set for Tuesday on campus.
Sidney A. McPhee, MTSU’s president, said in a release that Rick Insell’s “extraordinary success on the court is matched only by the relationships he has built and the lives he has influenced along the way.”
“On a personal level, I am grateful to call Rick a longtime friend, and on behalf of the university, I thank him for his remarkable contributions and enduring legacy,” McPhee said.
Insell’s 505 wins are the most for any men’s or women’s basketball coach in MTSU history.
Under his direction, the Blue Raiders made 21 consecutive postseason appearances, including 12 in the NCAA Division I women’s tournament. MTSU won 10 conference regular-season championships, including six in the Sun Belt and four in Conference USA, and 10 conference tournament titles with Insell on the bench.
“I am honored to have led the Middle Tennessee women’s basketball program for over two decades,” Insell said in the release. “From our first season together to our 20th consecutive postseason appearance, it has been an incredible journey. I am thankful to our administration, our athletic staff, and the countless assistant coaches who have contributed to the sustained success of this program.
“Most importantly, I want to thank the student-athletes I have had the privilege of coaching. They have embodied what it means to compete with integrity, pursue excellence on the court, and excel in the classroom. Each player has left her mark on this program and on me personally.”
Insell compiled a 775-148 record over 28 seasons at Shelbyville Central High School, some 30 miles outside of Murfreesboro, before taking the job at MTSU.
Insell was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville in 2017 and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.