Vanderbilt Coach Sleeps in Athletic Facilities Amid Winter Storm

Power outages force Commodores' head coach to set up temporary accommodations at team's practice center.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 10:23pm

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Vanderbilt head basketball coach Mark Byington has been forced to stay and sleep at the team's athletic facilities after losing power at his Nashville home due to a severe winter ice storm that hit the region. Byington has set up a makeshift bedroom in a hallway of the practice center, complete with an air mattress, to avoid the freezing temperatures at his residence.

Why it matters

The winter storm has caused widespread power outages across Nashville, leaving over 100,000 residents without electricity. Byington's situation highlights the challenges faced by those impacted by the severe weather, as he has had to adapt to working and living in the team's facilities while his home remains without power.

The details

ESPN's broadcast crew featured Byington's temporary living situation during Vanderbilt's game against Kentucky on Tuesday night. Byington told reporters that since Saturday, he has had an air mattress set up in his office at the athletic center, as his house has been around 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit without power. The coach has also had to be mindful of the motion-sensor lighting in his office, having to turn the lights off and avoid moving once he's in bed to prevent them from turning back on.

  • The winter storm hit the Nashville area over the weekend.
  • Byington has been staying at the Vanderbilt athletic facilities since Saturday.

The players

Mark Byington

The head basketball coach for the Vanderbilt Commodores, who has had to set up temporary living accommodations at the team's practice center due to a power outage at his home caused by a severe winter storm.

Vanderbilt Commodores

The men's basketball team at Vanderbilt University, which Byington coaches and whose athletic facilities he is currently staying in due to the winter storm.

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What they’re saying

“He gave us a tour of that makeshift bedroom today, guys. And I will say I think that office may have been bigger than the first studio apartment I lived in out of college, I will say.”

— Alyssa Lang, ESPN Sideline Reporter

“What did he tell us, he had 46 text messages from people reminding him to leave his faucets dripping at his home. The best part of the story is his office has motion-detector lighting. He says he has to turn the lights off, jump in bed and not move. If he turns over the lights come back on. What a deal the last three days for Mark Byington.”

— Jimmy Dykes, ESPN Analyst

What’s next

As the winter storm continues to impact the Nashville area, it remains to be seen how long Byington will need to continue staying at the Vanderbilt athletic facilities while his home is without power.

The takeaway

This situation underscores the real-world challenges that coaches and athletes can face when severe weather disrupts normal routines and living conditions. Byington's makeshift living arrangement at the team's practice center demonstrates the resilience and adaptability required to keep operations running during unexpected crises.