It didn't take long into the question and answer session of her news conference Monday for new LSU women's basketball coach Nikki Caldwell to give a brief glimpse into her competitive side.

When a reporter incredulously asked Caldwell, a former Tennessee standout, what it would be like trying to defeat her alma mater and famed coach Pat Summitt the 38-year-old quickly shot back.

"Did you say try to take them down?", Caldwell said. "I was just checking. I didn't know. I didn't hear."

The moment added a little levity to the half-hour introductory gathering where LSU Athletic Director Joe Alleva welcomed Caldwell, who spent the past three years at UCLA. Caldwell replaced Van Chancellor who resigned after coaching the program to a Final Four during his four-year stay.

"She's a star, she's a role model," Alleva said. "She has the priorities of young student athletes in her heart and her mind. She wants to make them better but not just as basketball players but as people. This is a bright new day for LSU basketball. The future here is really bright."

Alleva later said that Caldwell, who made $300,000 at UCLA, would receive a five-year contract worth $700,000 annually.

"One of the first calls I got was from coach Summitt and she was ecstatic for myself and for our staff," Caldwell said. "She's like this proud mom in a way and she was proud and welcomed us to the SEC. Her being the first phone call told me a lot. I wouldn't be standing here today. She's the one as a coach who instilled in me being a student-athlete."

There's a distinct orange-and-white hue to the staff Caldwell has assembled at LSU.

Caldwell said she's bringing her entire staff with her from UCLA with former Lady Vols guard Tasha Butts and former practice player Tony Perotti along with Stacie Terry.

"I've known Van Chancellor for a very long time and he's been a tremendous asset to the women's game," Caldwell said. "I appreciate his body of work he's done and I know he's going to be missed. When you look at the opportunity for me to be here I'm extremely excited."

The stop of UCLA was the first in the head coaching career of Caldwell, who spent three years rebuilding a program that had one NCAA tournament win over a nine-year span prior to her arrival.

Over the past three years the Bruins went 72-26 with two NCAA appearances, including a second-round berth in 2010 in which Caldwell was selected the Pac 10's top coach after a 25-9 record.

This past season UCLA went 28-5 - the fewest losses in school history in the NCAA era - and was a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament where they lost 89-75 on the home floor of Gonzaga in the second round.

In a bit of irony one of the five losses came at the hands of LSU which traveled to Los Angeles for a Dec. 28 road contest and handed the Bruins their first loss of the season, 55-53.

"I am excited to be the head coach here," Caldwell said. "I'm excited to get to work with some unbelievable young ladies. I remember when they came to Westwood and remember when they beat us."

That first-hand look at LSU's personnel gave Caldwell some insight into what she's taking on. The Lady Tigers went 19-13 in what turned into the final season under Chancellor and failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament for the first time in 13 years.

LSU returns five of its top six scorers this past season led by junior guard Adrienne Webb (12.8) and senior All-SEC forward LaSondra Barrett (12.2). The Lady Tigers are also set to welcome one of the top freshmen in the country in 6-foot-4 center Krystal Forthan of Georgetown, Texas.

"I looked at the team and I felt there was a lot of potential and a lot of growth that's there and we're going to go forward," Caldwell said. "I've been able to see this team up close and personal. To come in and win on the road says a lot about them as people. Seeing them up close I knew this program would be destined for greatness.

"The attraction goes deeper than that," Caldwell said. "I want to be planted here. I want this to be my home. I want to be a part of the LSU family for a long, long time."

Caldwell, a native of Oak Ridge, Tenn., played for Summitt from 1991-94 when Tennessee won the '91 national title and had a 118-13 record during her career. She first joined the staff of Virginia icon Debbie Ryan for three years where the Cavaliers went 60-36 before returning to Knoxville and was the director of recruiting for Summit in 2002 and wound up staying on staff until '08.

During the 2004 recruiting season Caldwell helped recruit one of the more outstanding classes in NCAA history with six high school All-Americans, including three Players of the Year. The Lady Vols twice won national titles in 2007 and '08, made the Final Four in four of five years and were 195-24 in Caldwell's six years.

Caldwell promised a faster paced style to LSU's more traditional half-court preference but wants the program to continue revolving around the defensive end where the Lady Tigers have thrived.

"It was a family decision," Caldwell said. "It was one I'm excited to be given the opportunity to get back to the south. It's closer to home and closer to family but this program is also rich in tradition. LSU has been committed to women's basketball when it wasn't popular and I just hope we are able to continue and move it to the next level."