Lipscomb basketball hires Kevin Carroll of Trevecca as coach to replace Lennie Acuff

Lipscomb basketball hired Trevecca coach Kevin Carroll to replace Lennie Acuff, the school announced on April 15.

Acuff, who led Lipscomb to a 25-10 record and the NCAA tournament this past season, left on April 10 to become the coach at Samford.

Carroll spent four years as an assistant on Acuff’s staff at Lipscomb before becoming the head coach at Trevecca in 2023. He just completed his second season, going 35-23 combined after the Trojans had failed to win more than six games in any of their previous six seasons.

Trevecca went to the quarterfinals of the Gulf South Conference tournament the past two seasons.

“I am honored and extremely humbled to have the opportunity to lead such a storied program as Lipscomb basketball,” Carroll said in a release. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for the people who have come before me and the level of success that has been reached. My staff and I will work tirelessly to maintain the standard that everyone has come to expect while shining a light on one of the top Christian universities in the country.”

Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Carroll, a native of Wildwood, Georgia, played for Acuff at Berry College. He was an assistant on his staff at Alabama-Huntsville in 2006-07 and the head coach at Maryville University-St. Louis from 2010-17.

“Kevin is an elite basketball mind,” Lipscomb athletic director Philip Hutcheson said in a release. “More importantly, he embodies the values of Lipscomb University and is gifted at building meaningful relationships with young people − as evidenced by the deep connections he maintains with former and current players. That says a lot about his character. He sees where the game is and where it’s going, and his ability to navigate change and elevate programs is exactly what we need at this exciting time for Lipscomb basketball.”

Trevecca athletic director Mark Elliott said a search for the Trojans next head coach would begin immediately.

“Kevin brought life, energy, and fun back to Trojan Fieldhouse and made basketball relevant again,” Elliott said in a release. “His personal and professional skills were a pronounced match for our Christian Scholar Athlete philosophy. Truthfully, I wish we could clone him for our next coach.”

Acuff spent six seasons at Lipscomb and posted a 110-82 record. That included three straight 20-plus win seasons, only the second time in the program’s Division I era history that was accomplished. 

Acuff, a native of Huntsville, Alabama, replaced Bucky McMillan at Samford after Samford resigned to become Texas A&M’s coach.

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.