Sewanee women's basketball coach Richard Barron has accepted the position of head women's coach at Princeton.

Barron, 32, is the winningest coach in the 26-year history of the women's program at Sewanee as he compiled a 77-48 (.616) win-loss record in five seasons (1997-2001).

A native of Florida and graduate of Webb School in Knoxville and Kenyon, Barron guided the Tigers to a conference championship (tri-champions) this past season and also led Sewanee to its first 20-win season in school history two years ago.

"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to coach at Princeton but it is with great sadness that I leave Sewanee,'' said Barron, who is Princeton's eighth head coach in the history of the program. "Sewanee has been my home for nine years and I have been very fortunate to coach and work with exceptionally fine student-athletes.''

Princeton has had 16 winning seasons since 1972, but Barron inherits a Tiger team which was 2-25 last season under interim head coach Kevin Morris, who was hired in the late summer. The squad graduated only one senior.

"After nine years of outstanding service to Sewanee, Coach Barron is ideally suited to take the helm of the Princeton women's basketball program,'' said Sewanee athletic director Mark Webb. "He was highly successful in recruiting non-scholarship student-athletes to Sewanee and was instrumental in building a program that tied for its first conference championship last season."

While at Sewanee, Barron coached two All-Americans - Jen Bulkeley and Michelle Chambers - and his 1999-2000 team led Division III in scoring (86 points per game). The Tigers also were first in 3-point field goals made per game each of the past two years. Sewanee was 18-7 last season.

"The group of young women returning to Sewanee and the women's basketball recruits will certainly carry on the new tradition of winning. They are, quite simply, all winners and people of great character. I will miss them.''