Ball State has extended the contract of men’s basketball coach James Whitford through the 2020-21 season, director of intercollegiate athletics Mark Sandy announced.
“I want to thank Mark Sandy, Terry King and the entire Ball State administration for their support,” Whitford said. “I am honored to receive a contract extension, and we are excited to continue our journey here. The program has moved in a good direction, and I believe we have a chance to build upon the success and do some special things in the coming years.”
Whitford recently completed his third season at Ball State, leading the program to a 20-win campaign and a postseason appearance for the first time since 2001-02.
“Following two rebuilding years, James and his staff had a great season with the program’s first postseason games in 14 years,” Sandy said. “It is vitally important to have continuity and consistency when building a winning program. This new agreement will send a message to recruits and parents that we are looking forward to a long and successful association with coach Whitford.”
The Cardinals finished the 2015-16 season with a 21-14 record and shared the Mid-American Conference West Division championship with a 10-8 league mark. They went on to reach the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). The team’s improvement from a 7-23 record the year before marked the fourth-largest turnaround in the nation.
