The University at Buffalo is rewarding coach Pete Lembo in the wake of his 9-4 debut season as coach of the Bulls.
Lembo has agreed to a new deal that includes an additional year on his contract through the 2029 season and also includes a raise, sources tell ESPN. The deal also includes a significant increase in resources for assistant coaches and staff, sources added.
The nine wins marked the most by a first-year coach in the history of the program and the most victories in a season at Buffalo since Lance Leipold won 10 games in 2018.
Buffalo went 6-2 in the MAC this year and capped the season by blowing out Liberty in the Bahamas Bowl. Buffalo also beat No. 23 Northern Illinois on the road, which marked the second win over a ranked team in program history.
Lembo came to Buffalo this year after stints at South Carolina, Memphis, Rice and Maryland. He’s a veteran head coach, including five years in the MAC as the head coach at Ball State. He also spent five years as the head coach at Elon and an additional five years at Lehigh.
Buffalo opens the 2025 season at Minnesota.