Newly named head coach Matt Insell is ready to renovate the Ole Miss women’s basketball program.
New women’s head basketball coach Matt Insell tells fans and his team that he cannot wave a magic wand for them to have success, that it is going to take a lot of work out of both the team and Rebel Nation. (Cain Madden/The DM)
Growing up, Matt Insell had a goal. He was the son of a coach, and coaches were spread throughout his family.
He wanted to be one by the age of 30, a goal he recently accomplished.
On Friday, at the ripe age of 30, Insell was christened as the next head coach of the Ole Miss Lady Rebel basketball program.
Before introducing him, Ole Miss athletics director Ross Bjork listed off the many accomplishments of the program.
“Thirty winning seasons, 17 sweet sixteens, five elite eights, but no final fours yet,” Bjork said. “So no pressure, Matt.”
Insell wasn’t shy about saying where he was proud to be the new coach.
“The University of Mississippi,” Insell said. “The flagship university of this great state.”
He continued by thanking those there with him and those at his previous stop, Kentucky, where he spent five years as assistant coach.
Insell said he was happy with his job at Kentucky and was not looking to move when Bjork contacted him. He called his job at Kentucky “the second-best job in the country.” Then he said, “I now have the best.”
Soon after, the topic changed to his age. Many in the business might see his age as a weakness, but Insell sees no such thing.
At the age of 13, Insell first broke down film. It was then that he decided he wanted to be a head coach by the age of 30. As he grew, he was more specific with his goal. He wanted to coach in the Southeastern Conference.
“I’ve accomplished my goal,” Insell said. “I don’t plan on leaving the SEC. I plan on being at Ole Miss a long time. As long as Ross (Bjork) will have me.”
Insell made it clear that Ole Miss is a program that is already built. He said it will not be rebuilding a program, just renovating and making better what has grown old. He then spoke directly to the Rebel fan base.
“I want you to know I take a lot of pride in this program, and I want you to know I want to bring this program back to where you had it,” he said.
“That’s my goal, and that’s a goal I will reach, just like I reached my goal of being a SEC head coach by age 30. And I look forward to talking to all of you and sharing with you my plan of how I plan on bringing this program back to where you want it, and that’s at the top of the SEC.”
Insell said he will work as hard as he can to win immediately. The program will not be built overnight, but he wants to win now for the three seniors on his roster.
He also said his scheduling strategy is simple.
“If you want to beat the best, you have to play them,” he said. “We’ll bring teams here that you want to see.”
Insell also announced two of the assistants that will be joining him: Alex Fuller, who was Insell’s father’s recruiter at Middle Tennessee State, and Todd Schaefer, who comes from Arkansas State.
For continuing coverage of Ole Miss women’s basketball, follow @JLgrindin and @thedm_sports on Twitter.
