It’s been a pretty sweet start to John Calipari’s tenure at Arkansas. The veteran head coach took the Razorbacks to a 22-14 finish in the 2024–25 season and an 8-10 finish in SEC play. The Razorbacks also had a Sweet 16 run. While it was Arkansas’ 15th appearance at that stage, it was the first one under Calipari.
Now, with 877 career wins to his name, he’s tied with Jim Calhoun at No. 7 on the all-time Division I coaching list. But behind all the wins, dunks, and basketball chaos is a support system that never gave up on Calipari. And the strongest pillar of that system is none other than his wife.
John Calipari Fumbles Anniversary Wishes, but His Quick Fix Steals the Show
Not so long ago, Calipari took to X and wrote a heartfelt tribute to his wife, Ellen, or as he lovingly calls her, “the princess.” His post was the kind of sweet, slightly chaotic love letter that only a college basketball coach could pull off.
“Ellen and I celebrate our 39th anniversary today,” John wrote. “We met at Kansas when I was a low-level asst and she worked in the business office under Art Lingel. She has been the perfect coaches wife for me, and as other coaches’ wives have said, IT ISN’T EASY!
“She has been a great mother to our kids and at times a father too. The princess has been a great wife even when I wasn’t the greatest husband.”
John even mentioned their dog, Palmer, and their kids, Erin, Megan, and Brad.
Ellen and I celebrate our 39th anniversary today. We met at Kansas when I was a low level asst and she worked in the business office under Art Lingel. She has been the perfect coaches wife for me, and as other coaches wives have said IT ISNT EASY! She has been a great mother to…
— John Calipari (@CoachCalArk) June 21, 2025
It was all love and nostalgia until a fan wrote something interesting in the comments.
“Hey Coach… better to be early, than be late! Happy Anniversary!” wrote the fan.
Turns out, the anniversary isn’t until June 22, and the legendary coach had posted on the 21st. But instead of taking cover, John leaned in with some damage control.
“I wrote this on the airplane with the intent of it being sent out tomorrow… now Ellen gets to enjoy what I wrote for two days!” John quipped. “AND NO I didn’t get the day wrong!!!”
It is a good save. The whole mix-up was peak Calipari family, perhaps even humorous.
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It is not hard to see why their marriage has lasted nearly four decades. While his life moves from buzzer to buzzer, Ellen has always been the grounding force. And she is the DIY queen, the “Mama Cal” to countless players, and the calm to his very loud basketball storm.
Ellen, after all, comes from the blue-collar heart of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She grew up in a tight-knit, no-nonsense family that valued hard work.
While John’s world has always been loud and fast-paced, Ellen’s has stayed authentic, whether baking birthday brownies for players or building furniture with her power tools. She’s not just the coach’s wife; she’s the foundation of the Calipari crew.
From the very first rainy date to now, Ellen has stood by the coveted college basketball coach every step of the way. And if getting the date slightly off means she gets two days of online appreciation, it only seems well-deserved.