Having captured their 24th Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship, and embarking upon a memorable post-season run in the National Invitation Tournament, Murray State University has renegotiated and extended the contract of head men’s basketball coach Steve Prohm. The extension means Prohm’s contract now runs through March 31, 2019 with an automatic one-year extension carrying it out to 2020.
"I want to thank Murray State President Dr. Bob Davies and Director of Athletics Allen Ward for their commitment to me and the Racer Basketball program over the next several years," Prohm said. "We have an opportunity to do something really special here and I’m honored to be a part of it."
"Since the day I was named Murray State’s president, I’ve been inundated with messages from Racer fans with high hopes that we’d find a way to keep Coach Prohm around," said President Dr. Bob Davies. "Racer basketball is an incredible marketing tool and having a highly successful and respected leader at the helm is imperative. Steve’s very deserving of the package we’ve put together to keep him at Murray State."
"Coach Prohm is the consummate ambassador for not only our basketball program, but for our University," Davies added. "He does things the right way, recruiting top-notch athletes as well as good citizens and men of character. He is a proven winner and he wins the right way. For example, his success on the court is well documented this year, and, importantly, his entire senior class is on track to graduate. Murray State is very fortunate to have a head coach that exemplifies class, dignity and integrity in every way."
Prohm, was named OVC Coach of the Year this season for the second time in his four seasons at MSU. He guided MSU to the first undefeated Ohio Valley Conference season (16-0) in school history and the fifth in 67 seasons in the league. MSU had the nation’s second-longest win streak of 25 and tied for the national lead with 12 road wins. Prohm’s 104-29 (.781) mark in four seasons included him becoming the 17th fastest to 100 wins among NCAA D-I coaches. The Racers extended their consecutive winning season streak to 28, ranked fourth in the nation.
"Keeping outstanding coaches in place is often the key ingredient for programs that strive for and achieve unprecedented success. It is imperative for us to make every attempt to keep Coach Prohm at Murray State and Dr. Davies recognizes the importance of doing just that," said Director of Athletics Allen Ward. "Coach Prohm has certainly earned the commitment being made to him and the program."
"We aim each day to achieve both athletically and academically while positioning the program to reach levels of success not yet experienced," Ward added. "There’s nothing I want more than for our program to positively impact the university, help it grow enrollment, and provide notoriety for the university like no one else can. And an essential part of making that happen is to capitalize on our ongoing success in men’s basketball."
Murray State University benefited from the Racers playing 12 nationally televised games this season as they advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIT.
The guaranteed contract increases Prohm’s base salary to $490,000. With his radio/tv obligations, the total package will be $500,000 annually, plus incentives.
