Ellen Calipari says goodbye to the Big Blue Nation

With John Calipari heading off the Arkansas, not only is the Big Blue Nation waving goodbye to their men’s basketball head coach of the last 15 years, but they’re also losing the woman who stood next to him through it all.

Ellen Calipari has done plenty for the state of Kentucky since she and John arrived in Lexington in 2009. Yes, referring to her husband as “roommate” and making brownies for all of the player’s birthdays will stand out (remember when she made fun of John for not knowing how to work a drill?), but she also helped found The Calipari Foundation and has been a key piece to the annual UK Women’s Clinic.

Her impact goes far beyond teasing John on social media — although we certainly enjoyed that aspect.

Not long after John announced he would part ways with Kentucky through a sincere video, Ellen did the same on Instagram, offering up her thanks to the fanbase and sharing her final goodbyes.

“If he feels like it’s time to move on, I have to support that. It’s not easy and we will miss a lot of things about Lexington and the University of Kentucky,” Ellen said in the below video. “It’s been my honor to be Mrs. Cal and make brownies for a lot of these guys that have come through. I guess it’s time for me to pass on the crown of being the princess. Thank you for everything you’ve done for myself and my family and my roommate. Thank you.”

You can hear everything she had to say below.

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