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Jeff Borzello, ESPN Staff Writer
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd has signed a five-year contract extension that will keep him in Tucson until at least 2029, the school announced Monday.
The deal is pending approval by the Arizona board of regents.
Lloyd will make $5.25 million in Year 1, escalating to $6 million in Year 5.
“I am humbled and grateful to finalize a long-term extension here at the University of Arizona,” Lloyd said in a statement. “I am energized by the support of our fans, our players, our alumni, President [Robert C.] Robbins, the Board of Regents and our donors. All of us are aligned on maintaining a highly competitive and nationally recognized basketball program that provides a great experience for the student athletes. We will continue to honor the Wildcat basketball heritage and give everything we have to make people proud to say ‘Bear Down!'”
Lloyd, hired in 2021 to replace Sean Miller, is in his third season at the helm. He led Arizona to Pac-12 regular-season and conference tournament championships in his first season, with the team earning a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament before falling in the Sweet 16. Last season, the Wildcats won the conference tournament again and landed a 2-seed in the NCAA tournament, but suffered a first-round upset to 15-seed Princeton. Lloyd’s 61 wins in his first two seasons were the most for any coach in Division I history.
Arizona is poised for another Pac-12 championship this season and was a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament selection committee’s mock bracket reveal Saturday. The Wildcats are 20-5 overall (11-3 in the Pac-12) and ranked No. 4 in this week’s AP poll.
“Tommy has proven to be a championship coach, an exceptional leader and recruiter, and has reinvigorated Wildcat pride by transforming the University of Arizona men’s basketball program back into one of the top programs in the nation,” Robbins said. “We are thrilled that he will remain a Wildcat for years to come. Thanks to the generosity of many in our community who love and support this university and are invested in its future, donor funds have been secured to cover the full cost increase of the extension.”
Before going to Arizona, Lloyd spent the first 21 seasons of his coaching career at Gonzaga as an assistant under Mark Few.
Earlier Monday, Arizona — which is moving from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 next season — hired Missouri athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois as the school’s next AD.