🏀 Kansas Women’s Basketball Top Assistant Steps Down
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas women’s basketball announces that Larry Tidwell will be stepping down as associate head coach this spring due to personal reasons, the program released Monday. With the ongoing global pandemic, the COVID-19 outbreak, Tidwell has decided to relocate back to his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas to be closer to his family.
“I am relocating back home to be with family during these troubled times,” said Tidwell. “This crisis has had an impact on my decision in going home to take care of family issues and put family first. I have been away and need to be in a situation where I can get to my family, who all live in Texas, in a hurry.”
In his first season with the Jayhawks, the program saw its best overall record (15-14) in seven years. Kansas put forth a competitive 2019-20 campaign as it ended 2019 with an 11-0 non-conference record and charted four conference wins, which included an upset over Texas on Feb. 15. Before the pandemic, the Jayhawks anticipated earning a WNIT bid and hosting a game at home in the first round. The bid would have been KU’s first postseason appearance since 2013.
“Coach Tidwell has dedicated over 40 years to the growth and development of women’s basketball,” said Kansas head coach Brandon Schneider. “ We greatly appreciate the impact he made on our program this season, and we both respect and admire his decision to commit more time to his family.”
While Tidwell has made an impact on the Kansas women’s basketball program, he also echoes that those he has worked with have had an impact on him in his time with the Jayhawks.
“Leaving Kansas is extremely hard,” said Tidwell. “It was so much fun to see the program this year, seeing them have their first winning season in seven years. I worked with an outstanding coaching staff. I’ve known Brandon for a while now, and it was fun to watch him coach.
“Things are so positive at Kansas, it’s unbelievable. Just being a part of the tradition has been great, and I want to thank all who have made my time at KU amazing.”
The Texas native has dedicated more than 40 years in helping grow women’s basketball into what it is today. Tidwell began his career in Texas at the high school level before starting his long career at the college level. Before coming to Kansas, Tidwell spent a season at Texas Tech and five seasons as the head coach at UT-Rio Grande Valley, where he broke 117 program records and tied 83 others.
