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Xavier extends Chris Mack’s contract

Xavier v Creighton

Xavier v Creighton

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On the eve of Chris Mack’s becoming the program’s all-time winningest coach, Xavier has tacked on another year to his contract

Mack and the Musketeers announced a one-year contract extension Tuesday, keeping Mack under contract with the school through 2022-23.

“I am excited about the future of our program and proud to be the head coach of my alma mater,” Mack said in a statement released by the school. “Xavier is a special place. It is especially gratifying to receive the support from the entire Xavier Community and my hometown of Cincinnati.

“We have lofty goals for our basketball program and that ongoing support will be a big key to reaching our goals.”

Xavier is coming off an Elite Eight appearance in the seventh NCAA tournament berth in Mack’s eight seasons at the helm. He enters 2017-18 just 17 wins shy of taking the top spot in Xavier’s record book for most wins. He’s currently 186-91 overall at Xavier.

“There is plenty to celebrate, especially coming off of an Elite Eight season,” Xavier athletic director Greg Christopher said in a statement, “and the future looks even brighter. Chris is clearly the right leader for Xavier and I know that he and his staff are not satisfied. Chris has proven himself as one of the elite coaches in college basketball.”

Without a raise or a change in buyout language or dollars, the extension is pretty standard operating procedure for a coach with the ties to a university and the success that’s been achieved by Mack. He’s going to continue to be floated as a potential candidate to midwestern blue bloods - like he was with Ohio State and Indiana this year - but it keeps negative recruiting about his future to a minimum. Mack has the chops to win anywhere, but if he keeps doing it at this high level at his alma mater, it’s hard to picture anything but the most desirable of jobs prying him away sometime in the future.