Head men’s basketball coach Brad Brownell has agreed to a new six-year, $15 million contract through 2024, Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich announced today. The terms of the contract were approved by the Clemson University Board of Trustees Compensation Committee.
“We have a tremendous amount of momentum and excitement in our basketball program and that is a testament to Brad’s leadership,” said Radakovich. “This new agreement demonstrates to Brad our continued strong commitment and support to him, his assistant coaches and to our basketball program.”
“I want to thank Dan Radakovich, President Jim Clements and the Board of Trustees for continuing to support my leadership of our Clemson basketball program,” said Brownell. “I’m extremely thankful and blessed to have the opportunity to coach at this great University. I’m also grateful for the outstanding young men I’ve coached and for the dedicated assistant coaches and staff who’ve worked alongside me the past eight years. I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish, both on and off the court, and look forward to building upon the success of last season.”
Brownell has compiled a 316-198 record over his 16 seasons in coaching, earning his 300th victory last season over No. 22 Florida in the 2017 MetroPCS Orange Bowl Classic. He was named the 2017-18 Sports Illustrated National College Coach of the Year Award following the Tigers’ historic season. The Tigers reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in program history in 2017-18. The program tied a record for wins in a season with 25 and topped the program’s best mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play with 11 victories, finishing in a third-place tie in the regular season.
The Tigers, picked to finish 13th in the 2017-18 preseason ACC media poll, ended the regular tied for third in the league and earned a top-four seed into the ACC tournament – eventually reaching the tournament semifinals with a win over Boston College. The 10-spot differential from preseason poll ranking to final finish in the regular season standings is the largest in ACC history.
During Brownell’s eight seasons in Clemson, he has become the winningest coach in Clemson history in terms of winning percentage against ACC competition and his 71 wins over ACC foes are the most ever in program history. Last year he moved into sole possession of third all-time in career wins at Clemson (149) – passing Oliver Purnell.
Under Brownell’s direction, the basketball program was honored for outstanding academic achievement as part of the NCAA Academic Performance Public Recognition Awards for the third consecutive season in 2017-18.
Brownell was also instrumental in the fundraising for the Littlejohn Coliseum renovation project, helping spearhead the $63.5 million renovation to the basketball program’s home arena.
