St. Bonaventure Director of Athletics Tim Kenney announced that men’s basketball coach Mark Schmidt has agreed to a new contract including an extension through the 2021-22 season.
Salary raises for Schmidt and his staff within the contract are all being privately funded through donations, Kenney said.
“I’ve said many times that Mark is one of the best coaches in the Atlantic 10 Conference,” said Kenney. “This is a well-deserved extension, not just based upon last season but the whole nine years he has been at St. Bonaventure. Mark has set a standard of excellence and we are committed to him long-term as our head coach.”
“I am happy to continue to help St. Bonaventure basketball be as competitive as we possibly can,” said Schmidt. “We have established the program to the point where we compete every year, and that is mainly a credit to our players and to my staff. I am glad for our players, for the staff and my family to make this commitment.”
Schmidt’s new deal comes after a record-breaking 2015-16 season. Last winter, the Bonnies tied the program record for wins in the regular season (22) and set a school record for Atlantic 10 wins (14), winning a share of their first-ever A-10 regular season title. Schmidt was selected the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year by his peers – only the third Bona coach so honored and first since Jim Baron in 1995.
Among the Bonnies’ wins was a 79-72 decision at Dayton – the program’s fourth straight win over a ranked opponent and first-ever road win over a Top 25 program.
St. Bonaventure reached the NIT last season, its third postseason berth under Schmidt.
Schmidt helped three Bonnies players earn All-Conference honors in 2015-16: Jaylen Adams (1st team), Marcus Posley (2nd) and Denzel Gregg (Co-Sixth Man of Year). It was the second year in a row St. Bonaventure had multiple players recognized by the A-10.
Schmidt, who is about to begin his 10th season at St. Bonaventure, stands third on St. Bonaventure’s all-time coaching wins list with 146. He has led St. Bonaventure to two 20-win seasons and 15 or more wins in seven of his nine seasons.
In 2012, Schmidt received a contract extension after he led the Bonnies to the program’s first Atlantic 10 championship and an NCAA Tournament berth. He received another extension in 2015.
St. Bonaventure has also made significant academic progress during Schmidt’s tenure. In 2015, the Bonnies earned a Public Recognition Award from the NCAA as they ranked in the top 10 percent of all men’s basketball programs in the Academic Progress Rate (APR) measurement with a perfect score of 1,000.
Schmidt and the Bonnies open the 2016-17 season on Nov. 12 at home against St. Francis (Pa.).
http://gobonnies.sbu.edu/sports/m-baskbl/2016-17/releases/20160824in5fzc
