Former MTSU coach Rick Insell receives Pat Summitt Lifetime Achievement Award

Former Middle Tennessee State women's basketball coach Rick Insell is racking up the post-career awards.

Insell, who retired as MTSU coach following the 2025-26 season, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Pat Summitt Lifetime Achievement Award by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

Insell, 74, spent 49 years as a basketball coach and finished his legendary career as one of the most accomplished in women's basketball.

Insell began coaching girls basketball at Shelbyville Central High School in 1978, where he had immense success, guiding the Golden Eaglettes to 10 state championships, 15 state championship game appearances and USA TODAY national titles in 1989 and 1991.

He won 774 games in his 28 years at Shelbyville, including a national-record 110 in a row during a streak in which the Golden Eaglettes won four consecutive state titles (1989-92). He was named national coach of the year four times (1989, 1991 by USA TODAY and 1990, 1992 by Converse).

Over 21 seasons at MTSU he became the winningest coach in program history with 506 victories, leading the Blue Raiders to 21 consecutive postseason appearances, including 12 NCAA Tournament bids and multiple conference championships.

He's the first basketball coach to win more than 500 at both the college and high school levels.

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He is a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, National High School Hall of Fame, Blue Raider Sports Hall of Fame, Basketball Coaches of Tennessee Hall of Fame, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and TSSAA Hall of Fame, among others. He was inducted to the CUSA Hall of Fame in 2025.

Insell is being honored by The Tennessean as the 2026 Fred Russell Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and will be recognized at the Middle Tennessee High School Sports Awards show on June 9 at Music City Center.