Head Colgate University Men’s Basketball Coach Matt Langel has agreed to a contract extension at the University through 2030, announced Tuesday by Vice President and Director of Athletics Nicki Moore.
The contract extension comes on the heels of another historic men’s basketball season. In his 11th year at the helm, Langel guided the program to its third 20-win season, third Patriot League regular season and tournament championships in four years, and a second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament. In the 2022 tournament, Colgate entered as a No. 14 seed – tied for the highest seed in program history.
“First and foremost, I am grateful to our student-athletes,” Langel said. “I’ve always believed that this is a players’ game and without their commitment to one another, winning, and accomplishing all the things that they have over time, I wouldn’t be in this position.
“Second, I’ve had a chance to work with an incredible coaching staff – coaches who have been devoted to the institution and the student-athletes, and helping create what is now Colgate Basketball. I continue to be honored to be Colgate’s men’s basketball coach.
“The leadership of this institution, the support we’ve received, the excitement of a new athletics facility on the horizon, and the partnership that we’ve had makes me feel really good about what we’re continuing to do. To get a commitment like Colgate has given to us – I’ll never take that for granted and I am extremely appreciative.”
Langel was recently named a finalist for the Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year Award, annually presented to the top Division I mid-major coach in college basketball. He became Colgate’s winningest coach of all-time this season and guided the Raiders to their fifth Patriot League championship behind a 23-12 overall record and 16-2 mark in conference play.
“I am so very pleased that we have extended Coach Langel’s contract, solidifying the strong leadership of Colgate Basketball,” Moore said. “I am confident in the positive student-athlete experience Matt and his staff facilitate, and in their commitment to excellence on and off the court. I am also looking forward to continuing to work with Matt as a colleague. He is a leader, a teacher, a learner, and a mentor who operates with integrity, and embodies the unique space in Division I that Colgate occupies – the opportunity to pursue true excellence in academics, athletics, and in life.
“One of our division’s priorities for Colgate’s Third Century is to attract, develop, and retain exceptionally talented and motivated students and staff who are committed to excel in academics, athletics, and in their career and personal development. Extending our commitment to Coach Langel is precisely aligned with this priority.
“I am grateful for the support of this program and Matt’s extension by President Casey, Interim Provost Kraly, and J.S. Hope, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration and Chief Investment Officer. Their embrace of the positive role Athletics can play in strengthening Colgate and advancing the Third-Century Plan is inspiring, and helps us to retain talented leaders like Coach Langel, who believe deeply in President Casey’s vision and are eager to contribute to it.”
Historic Season
The Raiders in 2021-22 won a program-record 15 consecutive games, the third-longest win streak in the country at the time, on their way to tying the Patriot League record for conference wins in a season (16). Colgate won the conference by four games, tied for the largest separation between first and second place in Patriot League history.
Colgate won its three Patriot League tournament games by 28, 20, and 16 points to secure the program’s fifth title. The Raiders finished the season ranked second nationally in 3-point field goal percentage, fifth in assists, sixth in total 3-point field goals made, and eighth in assists per game.
Langel’s team led the Patriot League in nearly every offensive category, including scoring offense, scoring margin, field goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage, and assists per game.
The Raiders’ season ended in the first round of the NCAA tournament, where they took Big Ten champion Wisconsin to the limit in a 67-60 decision. Colgate’s power five success was highlighted during non-conference play when the Raiders beat Syracuse 100-85 for their first win over the Orange since 1962.
Sustained Success
Since 2018, Colgate is 86-34 overall and 54-12 in the Patriot League. That stretch includes the program’s only three 20-win seasons, three regular season championships, three tournament titles, and three NCAA tournament appearances.
Colgate in 2020-21 became the first team in Patriot League history to reach four consecutive championship games. The Raiders this season extended that streak to five consecutive championship appearances, culminating with the 74-58 title victory over Navy in front of a capacity crowd at Cotterell Court.
Langel is the only coach in Patriot League history to three-peat the Coach of the Year honor. He earned the league’s top honor for three consecutive seasons in 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20. In each of those three seasons, Colgate set the program record for single-season wins, going from 19 to 24 to 25. After finishing 14-2 during the shortened 2020-21 season, Langel guided the Raiders back to the 20-win plateau in 2021-22 with a 23-12 record.
Colgate’s overall win percentage since 2018 (71.7%) is the 19th best in the country, and the win percentage against conference opponents during that stretch (83.3%) is fourth best.
The Colgate Basketball Foundation
“The vision for our program from the very beginning has been to position ourselves to be competing for championships on a consistent basis,” Langel said. “Over the last handful of years, we have reaped the rewards of the foundation that was set many years ago. I’m extremely proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish here.
“When you’re in a position of leadership, the charge is to always be taking steps forward. With where we are now, we want to continue to do great work. That means continuing a lot of hard work from our student-athletes, our coaching staff, and everyone who supports us to do everything we can to take steps forward and build this program. It’s an exciting time to be a part of Colgate Basketball and we’re looking forward to what the future holds.”
