Nikki Caldwell leaves UCLA to head to LSU, other high-profile DI jobs still open

The coaching carousel began to spin faster this week after the last month’s round of firings and resignations began to result in movement in the coaching ranks. Many coaches are in Indianapolis for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association conference which coincides with the NCAA Final Four.

The highest profile jobs include: Louisiana State, Virginia, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech and Washington. Late Saturday night, LSU announced that UCLA head coach Nikki Caldwell would take over the open position. Van Chancellor resigned from the job last month. Caldwell will be formally introduced during a press conference on Monday at 2 p.m. ET.

"Nikki is one of the best and brightest coaches in the country and LSU fans will be proud of the way she will represent this program," said LSU vice chancellor and director of athletics Joe Alleva in a statement. "She comes from a great pedigree having coached under two of the best in the game in Pat Summitt at Tennessee and Debbie Ryan at Virginia. She has been successful on every level — as a player, an assistant coach and a head coach — and she has all the qualities to bring our program to national prominence. This is a great day for LSU and our women’s basketball program."

Conjecture about the Virginia position continues to mount but the school has yet to make an announcement or respond to speculation.

Among the DI head coaching jobs are that still open: North Texas, Colgate, New Mexico State, San Jose State, UNC Greensboro, Southeast Missouri State and Weber State.