Kansas State and coach Bruce Weber have agreed to a two-year extension on his contract, the school announced Tuesday. The new deal slots Weber as the Wildcats coach through the 2020-21 season.
Weber is entering his sixth season with the program; he's made the NCAA Tournament three times in the past five seasons and is coming off a 1-1 showing in the Big Dance in March, when the 11th-seeded Wildcats defeated Wake Forest in the First Four before losing to Cincinnati in the first round.
Fans have pushed back on K-State's administration in recent years, particularly after the Wildcats failed to make the NCAAs in 2014 and 2015. But Weber eked into the Big Dance last season, and getting a win there obviously helped ignite the extension on his contract. This deal likely takes him off the hot seat for 2017-18, where he'll make $2.15 million.
"I have had the opportunity to observe our men's basketball program and visit with Bruce on multiple occasions since I became athletics director," K-State athletic director Gene Taylor said. "I couldn't be more pleased with the type of person we have leading our program -- Coach Weber is well-regarded throughout college basketball as an outstanding coach and a man who conducts his program with integrity and class. I have been able to interact with his team this offseason, and I see the respect our current and former players who have regularly returned to Manhattan have for him."
Weber has a 100-68 record in Manhattan, and is one of five coaches in school history to make it to three NCAA tourneys. The Wildcats lose NBA pick Wesley Iwundu heading into this season, in addition to vital scorer D.J. Johnson. Kansas State returns starters Barry Brown and Kamau Stokes.
