FAYETTEVILLE — The worst-kept secret in college basketball became official early Wednesday when John Calipari was announced as the new men’s coach at the University of Arkansas.
It had been widely reported since Monday that Calipari, Kentucky’s coach the previous 15 seasons, would take the Arkansas job and replace Eric Musselman, who resigned last Thursday after five seasons to become Southern Cal’s coach.
Calipari’s hiring became official when the Arkansas Board of Trustees met Wednesday in Little Rock — some members in person and some via Zoom — and voted unanimously to approve his contract.
Calipari, 65, has signed a five-year contract with a salary beginning at $7 million per season, according to the Arkansas news release.
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The contract runs through April 30, 2029, with a maximum of two automatic rollover years for NCAA Tournament appearances that would extend the contract to 2031. The contract includes a $1 million signing bonus and retention bonuses of $500,000 each year of the contract, along with one-time bonuses for making the NCAA Tournament, reaching the second round, Sweet 16, Final Four and winning a national championship.
Calipari, who had an annual salary of $8.5 million at Kentucky, is the highest-paid Arkansas coach ever in any sport. Musselman was paid $4.2 million.
Sam Pittman, the Razorbacks’ football coach, has an annual salary of $5.25 million.
“The financial [commitment] is significant, but our program is worth it,” Kelly Eichler, chairwoman of the Board of Trustees, said when asked about Calipari’s salary. “What he will bring to the Arkansas program is worth the expenditure and we’re happy to do it.
“I want to say thank you to many people who are contributing and their support for the program is unmatched. So we’re very excited.”
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Calipari led Kentucky to a 410-123 record with 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, including four Final Fours and the 2012 national championship. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
“It’s an exciting day for the University of Arkansas and the state of Arkansas as we welcome Coach John Calipari as our new men’s basketball coach,” Razorbacks Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek told the board members via Zoom.
News of Arkansas being in serious talks with Calipari broke on Sunday, and his impending move from SEC rival Kentucky became a national sports story.
“I know when I walked the campus the past couple of days there’s been a buzz in the air,” said UA Chancellor Charles Robinson, who also joined the board meeting via Zoom. “I know there’s a lot of excitement out on the campus about this hire.”
Board member Ted Dickey assisted Yurachek in finding the Razorbacks’ new coach.
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“It was a weekend I’ll never forget, and probably one our program will never forget either,” Dickey said. “During the search process I learned two things: One is that in conversations with coaches across the country, they actually believe we have a top-10 program. I think most of us already believed that anyway.
“The second thing is that we really have an outstanding athletic director. Hunter is well respected, well connected and tireless — and he can survive on very little sleep.”
Board member Kevin Crass thanked UA lawyers David Curran, the general counsel, and Matt McCoy, associate general counsel, for their roles in negotiating Calipari’s contract.
Calipari is represented by Tom Mars, an Arkansas law school graduate.
“I had a conversation with [Mars] in which he said he’s dealt with a lot of lawyers in Power 5 conferences, and he can’t imagine lawyers better than those that represent the University of Arkansas,” Crass said. “Unfortunately, athletics has gotten enmeshed in legal issues and I think it’s a great comfort, to me at least as a board member who understands good lawyering — I don’t do it, but I can recognize it — that [the UA] has world-class legal representation.
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“Normally I think these deals are done so quickly that you have a term sheet, and then over the course of time, disputes often arise between that term sheet and that final contract. And these lawyers worked extraordinarily hard over the weekend to get a complex document prepared and sent to us, and I think they should be thanked and recognized for that.”
The search officially ended six days after Musselman resigned.
“It was fast, it was very fluid,” Eichler said. “One minute we were talking to one person, and then talking to another. And for the financial situation, we had to get a commitment from donors who are excited about Coach Calipari. We’re thrilled with where we ended up.”
Calipari is one of two coaches to lead three programs to Finals Fours along with Rick Pitino.
Before Calipari’s four Final Four appearances at Kentucky, he led Massachusetts and Memphis to Final Fours.
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Pitino, now the coach at St. John’s, led Providence, Kentucky and Louisville to the Final Four.
“By all accounts, John Calipari is one of the premier coaches in college basketball,” Yurachek said in a news release. “A national championship coach, a four-time national coach of the year and one of the nation’s top recruiters, Coach Cal has consistently demonstrated his ability to attract outstanding talent and build championship teams within the Southeastern Conference and position his programs among the best in the nation.
“As I visited with Coach Calipari during this process, he acknowledged the tremendous opportunity we have at the University of Arkansas to attract and retain top players and compete for championships. He understands the deep passion of the Razorback Nation and has experienced the tremendous home court advantage of Bud Walton Arena.
“I have no doubt that under Coach Calipari’s leadership and with the collective support of all those who love the Hogs, Razorback Basketball will continue to maintain its national prominence within college basketball,” Yurachek said.
Calipari’s on-court record is 855-263 in 32 seasons. He has coached 58 NBA Draft picks, including 21 first-rounders. This season 28 of his former players have been on NBA rosters.
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“His resume is incredible,” Eichler said. “We couldn’t ask for anyone with more experience, or more quality experience. We’re excited to have him here at Arkansas.”
Eichler was a cheerleader at Arkansas when Nolan Richardson became the Razorbacks’ coach for the 1985-86 season. Richardson led Arkansas to its only national championship in basketball in 1994.
“It’s exciting to me to see our program progress,” Eichler said. “I just think we have all new heights to go to with Coach Calipari.”
Musselman led Arkansas to a 111-59 record and three NCAA Tournament appearances, including Elite Eight appearances in 2021 and 2022 and the Sweet 16 in 2023 before this season’s team finished 16-17.
Prior to 2021, Arkansas hadn’t advanced as far as the Elite Eight since 1995 when the defending national champion Razorbacks reached the title game again and lost to UCLA.
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“I want to say thank you to Coach Musselman for raising the profile of the program,” Eichler said. “We’re very pleased with where we are currently.
“There’s only so far to go up, so we’re excited to have Coach Calipari to go through new horizons.”
Information for this article was contributed by Sam Lane of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Ella McCarthy covers state politics and the state Supreme Court. Before joining the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, she covered Austin City Hall for the Austin American-Statesman, and before that, held a fellowship with ABC News in Washington, D.C., where she covered national politics. A graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism, her work has been recognized by the Hearst Foundation, the Missouri Press Association and LION Publishers in the LION local journalism awards. She contributed to the Statesman’s coverage of a two-city shooting rampage that won a national Edward R. Murrow Award for breaking news coverage.
KATV ABC 7 in Little Rock, Arkansas covers news, sports, weather and the local community in the city and the surrounding area, including Hot Springs, Conway, Pine Bluff, Jacksonville, Sherwood, Stuttgart, Benton, Bauxite, East End, Scott, Pinnacle, Maumelle, Gibson, Landmark and Hensley.
The Little Rock Marathon welcomes runners of all experience levels to run its course each year.
That was best exemplified when its winners crossed the finish line.
The marathon featured 1,427 entrants, ages 16 to 80, with race veterans and first-timers of all ages competing Sunday morning.
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This was the 10th marathon for Benjamin Williams, a 42-year-old Baltimore resident originally from Australia. He hadn’t won prior Sunday but finished second in a marathon in Memphis in 2025 and was determined to finally get over the hump in Little Rock.
“It’s amazing,” Williams said. “I mean, it’s such a beautiful course, and it’s my first time in Arkansas. I love the city, and I’m just so excited to do it.
“I was desperate to win this one. I went to the front in the first mile, and then I ran on my own basically the whole way.”
Williams held an advantage of nearly a minute on the next-closet runner through the first 7 1/2 miles. By the time he hit the half marathon point, 13.1 miles, his lead was just shy of four minutes thanks to a 5:41 pace.
Williams won the marathon with a chip time of 2:32:07. Tyreek Gilkey, 22, of Fort Smith came second with a 2:39:02 chip time. Alec Hewett, 33, of Colorado Springs, Colo., finished third with a chip time of 2:39:50.
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“Little Rock is beautiful,” Williams said. “You know, I was focused on the race, but I’ve been able to see it the last few days, just walking around this beautiful city. The course is actually really hard. There’s a hill as you go up to Hillcrest, that neighborhood. That was a long, brutal hill. And then they get you with a little one just here at the end as well. So, yeah, it was a good course, but tough.”
Williams made sure to mention just how far he’s come in his marathon running career after winning his first.
“This is my 10th,” Williams said. “So hopefully it’s by some other people. My first one took me four hours, and I’ve just slowly brought it down.”
Williams also won the 5K on Saturday with a chip time of 16:22.7.
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As for the women’s race, it was first-timer Holly Moser, 25, who claimed first place. The Greeley, Colo., native who recently moved to Jacksonville finished seventh overall and first among female runners with a time of 2:53:23. She was second or third at each of the first five checkpoints before her 6:36 pace from Mile 21 to Mile 23 pushed her into first.
Moser, like most runners that compete in the Little Rock Marathon, highlighted the hills in the western portion of the course, particularly in the Hillcrest neighborhood, as a challenge.
“You guys managed to find every single hill that exists in the city somehow,” Moser said with a laugh. “I’m not sure how you did it, but you did. The energy was there, so it’s easy to get up those hills. And it was fun to kind of sightsee Little Rock. I still haven’t been to a lot of the neighborhood areas since we live in Jacksonville, so it was nice to get to see like a new area that I haven’t gotten to see before.”
Like Williams, Moser also ran the 5K the day before running the marathon. She finished seventh overall and third among women in that with a time of 19:49.4.
Leah Thorvilson, 47, of Bella Vista finished second among women with a chip time of 2:54:49. Erin Bellissimo, 41, of Monument, Colo., finished third with a 3:02:05 chip time.
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One other finish of note was Aaron McCaleb, who was the first marathon athlete overall to finish with a time of 1:59:48. Competing in the hand cycle division, McCaleb, 22, finished nearly 45 minutes before the nearest cyclist.
Temperatures remained favorable and fan support turnout was strong Sunday, giving competitors like Moser the boost they needed.
“The weather was perfect for the first like two hours, and then that sun came out and it got a little warm, but the support was unmatched,” Moser said. “I mean, every single booth that you passed, the vibes were high. Everyone was cheering. People were screaming your name. It’s easy to run fast when you got that many fans.”
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge as the sun rises over the Arkansas River during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge into North Little Rock during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
A group of spectators watch runners cross the Broadway Bridge during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
A runner heads toward the finish line on the final stretch of the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge into North Little Rock during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge into North Little Rock during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Holly Moser heads toward the finish line on the final stretch of the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Moser would go on to win the women’s race. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Benjamin Williams heads toward the finish line on the final stretch of the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Williams would go on to win the men’s race. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Benjamin Williams heads toward the finish line on the final stretch of the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Williams would go on to win the men’s race. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge into North Little Rock during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Competitors run past the Arkansas state Capitol during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Katie Bowser stops to give her husband Larry Bowser a kiss before turning onto Tenth Street from Main Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Katie was running the full marathon. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Marion Milwee, 16, (from left) Jennifer Milwee and Shannon Butler Dixon cheer as Virginia Milwee, their sister, daughter and niece respectively turns on to Commerce Street from Ninth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Melinda Asewicz holds up her glass in salute as runners move west on Ninth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner moves east along Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner gets a drink from Andrea Rothman as he moves east along Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner moves east along Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Runners move east along Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Holly Moser, 25, of Jacksonville, crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Moser won the women’s race with a time of 2:53:23 the finish line https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Holly Moser, 25, of Jacksonville, runs to the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Moser won the women’s race with a time of 2:53:23 the finish line https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Benjamin Williams of crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock.Williams won the men’s race with a time 2:32:07. https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Benjamin Williams of crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock.Williams won the men’s race with a time 2:32:07. https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Benjamin Williams of Baltimore runs on Ninth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Williams won the men’s race with a time 2:32:07. https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Benjamin Williams of Baltimore runs on Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock.Williams won the men’s race with a time 2:32:07. https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Anne Henry Milner stretches out on the floor of the Statehouse Convention Center after completing the half marathon portion of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Runners cross the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Runners cross the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Runners take to the course at the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Sam (left) and Elliot Driver talk before the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Elliot was running in the half marathon. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
Maly Tabor (left) and Mary Kate Reid stretch before the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Both women were running in the half marathon. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
A group of runners walk down Main Street on their way to the Statehouse Convention Center for the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
Volunteers gather outside of the Statehouse Convention Center before the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
A runner walks towards the starting line of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
Runners take to the course at the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
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