Following the program’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 36 years, Idaho men’s basketball head coach Alex Pribble has received a three-year contract extension that will see him lead the Vandals through the 2030-31 season.
“I am honored to continue as the men’s basketball coach here at the University of Idaho,” Pribble said following Idaho State Board of Education approval of the new contract. “I’d like to thank President Scott Green and Athletic Director Terry Gawlik for their belief in our staff, and for the support that they have provided throughout this process.”
Pribble led the Vandals on a historic 2025-26 campaign, with UI going 21-15, to achieve its first 20-win season since 2018. The year was capped by a Big Sky Conference Tournament championship, Idaho’s first title since 1990, after the Vandals won four games in five days in Boise, including a 77-66 victory over defending champion Montana in the title game. Idaho started the season in style, earning a wire-to-wire victory over rival Washington State in Pullman, to beat the Cougars on their home floor for the first time since 2014.
The Vandals saw record offensive production in 2026, with the Black and Gold breaking the program record for made threes in a season for the second year in a row and posting the second-highest scoring average in the program’s 120-year history. Idaho’s defense saw remarkable improvement last season, as an offseason emphasis on rebounding led to the Vandals leading the Big Sky in defensive rebounds and finishing fifth in the country in defensive rebound rate, while ranking top-70 nationally in allowed two-point percentage.
Idaho’s individual accolades under Pribble have been impressive. Gem State native Jackson Rasmussen won the 2025-26 Big Sky Freshman of the Year award after leading the team with 14.1 points a game and breaking the school’s freshman scoring record during the regular season, while Isaiah Brickner took home the Top Reserve honor, marking only the second season this century in which two different Vandals have won yearly conference awards in the same year. Over the course of the past three seasons, Idaho has seen three players named to Postseason All-Big Sky teams and four earn All-Tournament honors following Starch Madness in Boise.
“When we began this journey three years ago, we wanted to establish a culture that was focused on championship standards on the court, in the classroom, and in the community,” the Vandals’ head coach said of the program. “We recruited incredible young men, who have bought into that vision, and have worked extremely hard to meet and exceed those standards. Over these three years, we have become the number one most improved team in the entire country – culminating in GPA records, a long-standing community mentorship program, and a Big Sky Championship.”
Pribble’s first three seasons in Moscow have seen the Vandals embark on a remarkable turnaround. Idaho has been the most improved program in the nation since 2023, climbing more than 150 spots in both the NET and KenPom ranking systems, finishing the 2025-26 season 152nd in the NET, UI’s highest season-ending position since the ranking began prior to the 2018-19 campaign.
2024-25, Pribble’s second year at the helm, saw the Vandals win 14 games, their most since 2017, and reach the Big Sky semifinals for the first time in eight seasons with a win over Portland State. Idaho went 8-6 at home, achieving its first winning record in Moscow since the 2021-22 season. In Pribble’s first year, the Vandals went 11-21, earning a regular-season sweep of Sacramento State and defeating Idaho State at home for the first time in four seasons.
Off the court, Pribble has emphasized building success through in-state and local talent, with a focus on high-character players. His staff prioritized recruiting Idaho natives before the 2025-26 season, with five players from the Gem State on the roster for the championship-winning campaign, the most of any Vandal team since 1972. In the classroom, the program posted a team record GPA in consecutive semesters in 2025 and continued the CHAMPS mentoring program, connecting players with local elementary students.
“My family and I love Moscow,” Pribble said. “This community and the university have embraced us from day one, and we are genuinely grateful for the incredible people that we get to do life with.”
The Vandals are one of just 20 schools in the nation to return their entire coaching staff for the upcoming season, with associate head coach Brandon Laird, assistant coaches Matt Jones, Adam Ellis, and Luke Chavez, and video coordinator Kolton Rap all joining Pribble for the 2026-27 campaign. Idaho’s 2026-27 season is quickly approaching, with less than one month remaining until the new-look Vandals take the floor in an exhibition contest on October 10 against Boise State at Idaho Central Arena in downtown Boise. UI’s regular season slate includes 17 games inside ICCU Arena, including the November 2 season opener against George Fox, and marquee road matchups with Colorado State, Nevada, Washington State, and Arizona State.
Idaho announces 3-yr contract extension for Head Basketball Coach Alex Pribble
