K-State recognizes Weber with extension

Director of Athletics John Currie announced Wednesday that head coach Bruce Weber has received a one-year contract extension through the 2019 academic year to continue his leadership of the Kansas State men's basketball program.

The additional year to his current contract secures Weber's services through April 30, 2019. Compensation remains the same per an extension signed in April 2013 and includes a salary of $2.25 million for the additional year during the 2018-19 season. Weber's annual salary will be $1.85 million for the 2014-15 season and increases by $100,000 for each remaining year per his original 5-year contract ($1.95 million in 2015-16, $2.05 million in 2016-17, $2.15 million in 2017-18 and $2.25 million in 2018-19).

In addition, Weber is eligible to receive a retention bonus of $500,000, which will be due upon the completion of the current contract on April 30, 2019. Currie also announced an enhanced commitment to Weber's assistant coaches with salary increases.

The extension was unanimously approved by the K-State Athletics, Inc., Board of Directors.

"Our men's basketball program continues to make terrific progress under Coach Weber and his staff since their arrival," said Currie. "He and Megan, along with the entire staff, have really embraced being a part of the K-State family and Manhattan community. I am excited about the future of our program and forward trajectory under his leadership."

Hired on March 31, 2012 as the 24th head coach in school history, Weber has guided K-State to a 47-21 (.691) overall record and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances the past two seasons. His 47 wins are the most by a head coach in his first two seasons in school history, while he joins Lon Kruger as the only coaches to guide the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament in their first two seasons. This past season, he led the team to a 20-13 record, including a 10-8 mark in the ultra-competitive Big 12, and a school-record fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. The squad set the Bramlage Coliseum record for most consecutive home wins with 15 in a row and registered a 10-game winning streak from Nov. 24, 2013 to Jan. 7, 2014.

Forced to replace six players, including three from the winningest senior class in school history, in 2013-14, Weber and his coaching staff produced success with the development of a promising four-member freshmen class, including All-Big 12 Second Team selection Marcus Foster and Wesley Iwundu. Foster led the team in scoring (15.5 ppg.), double-digit scoring games (27) and 20-point games (eight) and became just the third true freshmen in school history with 500 points in a single season. Iwundu saw action in all 33 games, including 32 starts, and ranked second in double-doubles (three) and third in rebounding (4.2 rpg.) to go with a 6.7 points per game average. Two other freshmen - Nigel Johnson and Jevon Thomas - averaged better than 13 minutes per game.

"I'm appreciative of the type of support that President (Kirk) Schulz and John (Currie) have given me and my coaching staff with this extension," said Weber. "A significant part of building a successful program is continuity and this type of commitment ensures that we have all the parts necessary to continue to build upon what we have accomplished the last two seasons. The success we have had is a direct reflection of the hard work and sacrifice of our players and coaches. I could not be more proud to be associated with them and look forward to even more success in the future."

In his first season in 2012-13, Weber guided K-State to one of the best seasons in school history, as the squad posted a 27-8 record and captured a share of its first conference title in 36 seasons with a 14-4 Big 12 mark. The 27 wins were the second-most in a single season and just the fifth 25-win season overall, while the 14 conference wins tied the 1958-59 team for the most in school history. The league title was the 20th overall and the 18th won in the regular season and the first since winning the Big Eight Championship in 1977.

For his efforts, Weber was selected as the Big 12 Coach of the Year by the league coaches and The Associated Press, while he was named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District Coach of the Year. He was also a finalist for the 2013 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year and Skip Prosser Man of the Year awards.

The Wildcats have also excelled off the basketball court under Weber's leadership with a combined 25 players earning recognition to the Big 12 Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll the past three semesters and four named to the Academic All-Big 12 Team that past two seasons. All four seniors - Omari Lawrence, Ryan Schultz, Shane Southwell and Will Spradling - have either graduated or are on track to graduate from K-State, including Southwell and Spradling this May. Lawrence graduated in May 2013 and has spent the last year in graduate school, while Schultz has one additional year due to his intention to attend medical school.

In addition, all three seniors - Jordan Henriquez, Martavious Irving and Rodney McGruder - from the winningest senior class in school history graduated from K-State in 2013.

Weber, 57, has compiled a 360-176 (.672) in his 16 seasons as a head coach, which includes stints at Southern Illinois (1998-2003) and Illinois (2003-11). His .672 winning percentage ranks 23rd among active Division I head coaches and fourth among current Big 12 coaches. He has won 20 or more games in 12 of his 16 campaigns, averaging 22.5 victories a season in his head coaching career.

Weber's teams have now participated in postseason play in 12 of his 16 seasons, including 10 NCAA Tournament appearances. His teams have combined to win six conference regular season and tournament championships, including the 2002 and 2003 Missouri Valley Conference, 2004 and 2005 Big Ten Conference and 2013 Big 12 Conference regular season titles as well as the 2005 Big Ten Tournament title.

Kansas State has posted a school-record eight consecutive 20-win seasons to go with a current streak of five straight seasons with double-digit conference wins. The school has advanced to the NCAA Tournament 28 times, including six times in the last seven seasons. The current streak of five straight NCAA Tournament bids ties Florida and San Diego State for the ninth-longest longest active streak in the country.

The Wildcats are scheduled to return nine lettermen, including five players who registered at least one start in 2013-14. The squad has been mentioned in several early Top 25 preseason polls, including No. 18 by Bleacher Report and No. 24 by ESPN.com.