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Huggins inks extension with West Virginia

Bob Huggins

Bob Huggins

AP

There are few better matches between coach and school than Bob Huggins and West Virginia. The Morgantown native and West Virginia alum pretty much embodies the Mountaineers.

West Virginia announced Monday that it had reached an agreement that would allow Huggins to continue to coach beyond the 2021-22 season or step away into another role at the university.

“This is a great day for our department. I want Bob Huggins leading our basketball program for many years to come,” West Virginia athletic director Shane Lyons said. “Bob is a future Hall of Famer, who cares about his players and this University. His teams have been highly successful on the court and in the classroom. In finalizing this contract extension, I wanted the eighth all-time and third-winningest active Division I coach on our sideline leading his alma mater.”

Huggins’ deal would allow him to keep coaching once his deal expires in 2022 or assume a five-year Emeritus status which would pay him $550,000 in its first year. He’s set to make $3.75 million this year as coach and will receive $100,00 annual raises.

Huggins, in his 11th year at West Virginia, has won 229 games with the Mountaineers and gone to eight NCAA tournaments, making the 2010 Final Four. He’s won 819 games overall over 35 years as a coach. The program has been revitalized in recent years as well as Huggins as transitioned them to the “Press Virginia” style of full-court pressing that has helped the Mountaineers to back-to-back second-place finishes in the Big 12.

West Virginia, led by potential Big 12 player of the year candidate Carter, are expected to challenge Kansas for the top spot in the conference this season.

“I am very lucky to be able to coach in the state and at the University that I love so much,” Huggins said in a statement.