It didn’t take Mark Gottfied long to turn things around in Raleigh, as the former Alabama head coach led the Wolfpack to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005 in his first season.
Add in a highly-touted recruiting class that boasts three McDonald’s All-Americans and more than a few pundits feel that NC State can win the ACC this year.
For those efforts NC State has rewarded Gottfried with a contract extension to 2018 and raising his supplemental compensation from $450,000 to $1.2 million.
That makes for a total of $1.95 million per year according to Andy Katz of ESPN.com, and the increase in pay pushes Gottfried into the top half of the ACC in regards to guaranteed annual salary.
“Coach Gottfried and his family have been a welcome addition to the Wolfpack Family,” athletic director Deborah Yow said in a statement released by the school.
“His competitive and recruiting success has accelerated our vision of excellence in an impressive way. With his work ethic, attention to academics and sound coaching, we believe the future is bright for men’s basketball.”
Gottfried’s 24 wins in his first season rank second in school history for wins in a debut campaign, with the great Everett Case winning 26 games in 1946-47.
NC State last won the ACC in 1989 and with the combination of talented newcomers (Rodney Purvis, T.J. Warren and Tyler Lewis being the All-Americans) and experienced players such as C.J. Leslie, Lorenzo Brown and Scott Wood, the Wolfpack are capable of accomplishing that feat.
“I’m very thankful to the board of trustees, chancellor Woodson and Debbie Yow,” said Gottfried in the statement.
“I’m very excited about the future of NC State basketball and being a part of the Wolfpack Nation “
Raphielle is also the assistant editor at CollegeHoops.net and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.