Rick Insell, MTSU women's basketball wins leader, earns lifetime achievement award
Former MTSU women's basketball coach Rick Insell has been named The Tennessean's 2026 Fred Russell Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
Rick Insell vividly remembers being interviewed for the Middle Tennessee State women’s basketball coaching job more than two decades ago. Insell was trying to jump from the high school coaching ranks to college. MTSU deputy athletic director and senior women’s administrator Diane Turnham used that as a chance to peer inside Insell’s brain.
“She said, ‘Do you plan on coaching like you did in Shelbyville at the college level? ’” Insell remembers. “And my response was, ‘You know, I’m gonna come in and be Rick Insell.
I don’t know any other way to coach. So, if the university’s wanting someone that’s going another direction, you might need to hire somebody else. But if you want me to come in and be Rick Insell, then that’s what I’ll do.
’” Turnham laughed and responded, “that’s what we want. ” More: Tickets, date, location for Middle Tennessee High School Sports Awards More: Why MTSU basketball coach Rick Insell showed little emotion after final game Insell, 74, did just fine being himself for over 50 years in coaching. He is the Tennessean’s 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.