Mickie DeMoss has resigned from the University of Kentucky this morning stating she needed to reassess what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.  "This was a very difficult decision for me.  After 30 years of coaching, I just want to step back and reassess what I want to do for the rest of my life. The university and Kentucky has been a wonderful place for me to be a head coach. I want to thank Dr. Todd and Mitch Barnhart for giving me the opportunity to coach at the best basketball school in the country. They have been great to work for."

DeMoss said she would never rule out a return to coaching again, but it was the best time for her to step away right now.  "One of the main reasons I came to Kentucky was to help revive the program and get it back on the national scene," DeMoss said. "I knew this state would embrace women's basketball and that it was hungry for a successful women's team. I feel good about where the program is right now and I don't have any regrets. I will miss my players, everyone I've worked with and all of the Big Blue fans, but it's just time for me to make a change."

Kentucky finished this season 20-14 overall and 6-8 in the Southeastern Conference.  The Cats' season ended when Wisconsin beat them in the Women's National Invitation Tournament third round. 

Mitch Barnhart, AD for KU will immediately begin a search. "I appreciate the effort and energy Mickie put into our women's basketball program over the last four years," Barnhart said in the university's written statement. "She is an incredibly classy person who represented the commonwealth of Kentucky, the University of Kentucky and our community with all that was right. Our program is in a very different place than it was before and that is a credit to Mickie DeMoss and her staff," he said.

Prior to the UK position, DeMoss was an assistant at Tennessee for 18 years. She also was head coach at Florida for four seasons (1979-83). Her career record as a head coach is 116-124. She was 71-56 at Kentucky.

DeMoss is the FOURTH SEC coach in the past two months who has stepped down for one reason or another.  In addition to the Kentucky position being open, both LSU and Florida continue their search for replacements.  Arkansas hired Tom Collen in late March, after Susie Gardner resigned.