By Les Johns

UK women’s basketball head coach Matthew Mitchell is gaining a reputation for his dancing at Big Blue Madness, but his team is gaining a reputation for going dancing in March.

The charismatic head coach is working to lead the UK Hoops team to a program-record third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance this season.

Mitchell, who begins his fifth regular season as head coach for the Cats Friday night, is already fourth in all-time wins at UK with 86.

Mitchell’s accomplishments since arriving at UK include winning the AP 2010 SEC Coach of the Year award, winning the 2010 Russell Athletic/WBCA Region 3 Coach of the Year Award and taking his team to the SEC Tournament finals the last two years.

He has led the Cats to four consecutive postseason appearances, including NCAA tournament berths the last two years.

“This program has never had a team go to three straight NCAA Tournaments,” Mitchell said.  “So that would be an unbelievable accomplishment for our program.”

Mitchell said he believes the key to this year’s team exceeding expectations will be for them to bring their best effort every day in practice.

“We practice in championship mode,” said University of Connecticut transfer Samarie Walker, who is eligible to being play with the Cats after the fall semester.

“When we’re practicing, he is always on me. But that is a good thing. That leads to us being more productive on the court.”

“Yelling is yelling and he just wants to make us better,” freshman Bria Goss added. “So, it’s good.”

Mitchell was hired for the head coaching position by UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart on April 23, 2007.

Before being hired by Barnhart, Mitchell was the head coach for two seasons at Morehead State, who the Cats play in their regular season opener Friday.

“They gave me my first opportunity as a Division I head coach,” Mitchell said about Morehead.  “So I am very indebted to that institution.”

Prior to his tenure at Morehead, Mitchell worked on the coaching staff at rival SEC schools Tennessee and Florida, as well as serving as an assistant at UK under then head coach Mickie DeMoss.

Mitchell said he is grateful for the direction DeMoss took the program during her four year tenure prior to his hiring as head coach.

“Coach DeMoss always had a vision for this program that it could be the best in the SEC and one of the best in the country,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell said he feels like he has helped build on the foundation laid by DeMoss and is proud of what has been accomplished to this point.

“There is no question that the program has transformed in the last couple of years,” Mitchell said.

“It has changed because the players that have been on the last two teams have worked their tails off and have sacrificed personal statistics for the greater good of Kentucky,” he said.  “I love them for that.

“I always feel fortunate to be the coach here. It is a very special place to coach.”