Ohio basketball coach John Groce received a two-year contract extension yesterday, which will keep him under contract through 2014-15, according to a team statement.
Financial terms of the contract will not be released until next week. Groce currently earns a $200,000 annual salary.
I am very pleased to be able to extend John Groce's contract
said Jim Schaus, Ohio director of Athletics. He and his staff have done a tremendous job. John truly understands how to build a successful program.
Groce has a 37-32 record during two seasons in Athens. He came to the Bobcats after being an assistant coach under Thad Matta at Ohio State.
My family and I are thrilled about the commitment the administration has made to us as we continue to build a basketball program Groce said in a news conference yesterday. We appreciate the support of the Board of Trustees President McDavis and Jim Schaus.
Despite losing their first four Mid-American Conference games this past season, Groce's Bobcats earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament by winning the MAC Tournament as the ninth-seeded team - the lowest seed ever to win the tournament.
Ohio's success continued when the No. 14 Bobcats upset third-seeded Georgetown 97-83 during the first round of the NCAA Tournament before losing 83-68 to No. 6 Tennessee during the second round.
The national exposure generated by our conference championship success in the NCAA Tournament has also provided many benefits to our university
Schaus said.
Various reports during the past few weeks linked Groce to head-coaching vacancies at schools across the country - especially Clemson and Wake Forest. But Groce denied ever being considered for those jobs.
No one contacted me personally
Groce said.
Despite the team's success this past season, Groce said that one successful year does not mean his job has been accomplished.
I wasn't interested in just coming and having a spectacular season and saying that we've arrived
Groce said. The challenge is for us to build on the success we've had and continue to move our basketball program forward.
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Vince Nairn
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