Furman University Director of Athletics Jason Donnelly announced today that men’s head basketball coach Bob Richey has received a contract extension. Terms of the extension were not disclosed, but generous donor support was a significant contributor to the completion of the extension.
“Bob Richey has done an outstanding job as our head coach and we are thrilled that this extension will keep him in Greenville for the foreseeable future,” said Donnelly. “Bob is the right leader for our program, on and off the court, as well as in the community, and his impact has been felt across all areas of our university. In addition to back-to-back record-breaking seasons, Furman basketball has been recognized by the NCAA with a perfect 1,000 Academic Percentage Rating (APR). This extension, which was previously agreed to in March, is indicative of our confidence in Bob and our commitment to our men’s basketball program.”
Richey, who recently completed his ninth season at Furman and third as the Paladins’ head coach, has guided the program to a 73-26 record, its best over a three-year stretch, including a 50-15 mark over the last two years. Under Richey’s leadership this past season, the Paladins set a school record with 25 regular season wins and matched the school record for total victories in a season by going 25-7 and finishing second in the Southern Conference with a 15-3 record. The Paladins 15 league wins also established a new program record.
“I am grateful and humbled by the commitment Furman and the Paladin Basketball Family have shown me, our staff, our players and our program through this extension,” said Richey. “We are fortunate that our philosophy of enriching the lives of our players and winning on the court aligns with Furman’s institutional values. Our staff will continue to work every day to grow our players, to prepare them for success in life after basketball and to compete for championships. Our program has made great improvement the past three years, but we truly believe our best days are ahead of us.”
The 37-year-old Richey ranks ninth among all active NCAA Division I coaches with a .737 winning percentage. He is the youngest coach among the top 25 winningest coaches with more than 50 games of experience at the Division I level. Along with winning on the court, Richey also created Furman’s “FURther the MAN” program in 2017, which teaches players how to win in life after basketball. The program focuses on leadership development, life skills, mentoring, access to nationally known speakers, connection and giving back to the community.
“Bob’s dedication, hard work and leadership have been tremendous assets to our basketball team, athletics program and the university,” said Furman President Elizabeth Davis. “As a coach, he takes seriously the student part of being a student-athlete and has been one of the strongest advocates for The Furman Advantage and how it prepares our students for success and lives of meaning. We are grateful for Bob’s continued commitment and excited to build upon the success of Furman Basketball.”
After leading Furman to a 23-10 overall record and 13-5 SoCon mark during his first season as a head coach, Richey helped the Paladins to a record setting 2018-19 season that was highlighted by a 12-0 start, the school’s first appearance in the Associated Press Top 25, victories over 2018 NCAA Final Four participant Loyola Chicago and defending national champion Villanova, and the second NIT berth in school history. The Paladins finished the season at 25-8 overall, setting a school record for wins in a season, and 13-5 in league play.
Furman is set to return five players with starting experience in 2020-21, including All-SoCon forwards Clay Mounce and Noah Gurley. Richey will also welcome back point guard Alex Hunter, guard Mike Bothwell and forward Jalen Slawson.
https://furmanpaladins.com/news/2020/9/9/mens-basketball-furmans-richey-receives-contract-extension.aspx
