Read this story at CSURams.com
Colorado State Director of Athletics Joe Parker today announced a one-year extension to the contract of head men’s basketball coach Larry Eustachy. This guarantees that Eustachy will remain at the helm of the Rams through the 2020-21 season. Now in his 26th season as head coach, Eustachy is just 11 shy of 500 Division I career wins and 13 short of 100 wins at CSU.
“We are very pleased that Coach Eustachy has agreed to extend his tenure with us for this additional year,” Parker said “The program has continued to have success on the court, under his leadership, as shown with the wins over the last four years, as well as off the court. He has worked with our student-athletes to continue to teach them about the importance of their contributions on the floor, in the classroom and in the community. We are excited about what the future holds for this program over the remainder of his coaching time here.”
Eustachy was hired to take over the reins of the CSU basketball program on April 12, 2012. He has amassed an impressive 489-306 (.614) record in 795 games over 25 seasons as a head coach, including an 87-48 record in his four years in Fort Collins. The 87 victories are the most in any four-year span in program history and included three postseason invitations and two postseason appearances. He could become the 62nd coach ever to reach the 500 Division I-win plateau this season as his 489 wins currently ranks 18th in D-I victories among active coaches.
“Fort Collins has really become home to me,” Eustachy said. “We have an incredible fan base that has continued to grow during my time. I feel like we can give the Ram Nation what it has wanted and deserved for all its years of support, especially since we now have the program set up for success over the next several years. Now with this extension, I am able to do that for our great fans while finishing my coaching career here as I always wanted and has been my plan as part of this great community. This wouldn’t be possible without the outstanding leadership and guidance of President Tony Frank and Director of Athletics Joe Parker. I couldn’t ask for a better pair of men to work for as their support of our program is one of the major reasons for our success.”
Under Eustachy’s watch, Moby Arena has become recognized as one of the toughest places to play in the country, as CSU was 57-14 (.803) in his first four seasons, including a program-record 16-1 mark at home in 2012-13. That season, the Rams played in front of four sellout crowds and recorded the program’s best average attendance mark (5,440 per game) in 15 seasons, since the 1997-98 season drew 5,697 fans per contest.
In his first year at the helm, he led the Rams to arguably the best season in school history, guiding the squad to a then school-record 26 victories and an NCAA Tournament victory over the Missouri Tigers before bowing out against eventual national champion Louisville. Last season, the Rams posted a new school record with 27 regular season wins, advancing to the National Invitation Tournament.
Eustachy’s current agreement has bonuses for team performance, including $40,000 for winning 20 games in a season, $100,000 for capturing the Mountain West Conference championship, and $200,000 if the Rams earn a bid to the NCAA tournament. There are also bonuses and salary increases if Eustachy leads CSU to the Sweet 16, Elite 8 and Final 4, or wins the National Championship. As with Eustachy’s initial contract at Colorado State, any bonus is contingent on the Rams maintaining good academic standing in the NCAA academic progress rating (APR), and having no major violations of NCAA rules.