Head UH men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson agrees to four-year extension

Head UH men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson agrees to contract extension

Kelvin Sampson has agreed to a contract extension to remain head coach of the University of Houston men's basketball team through the 2028-29 season.

HOUSTON - Fresh off leading the Cougars to their second Final Four in five seasons, Kelvin Sampson has agreed to a contract extension to remain head coach of the University of Houston men's basketball team through the 2028-29 season.

The signing was announced on social media.

Sampson, 69, has led the Cougars since 2014, racking up 299 wins at UH and 799 in his career.

He has guided UH to seven NCAA Tournament berths, including a national runner-up finish this past season, as the Cougars lost to Florida, 65-63.

Under Sampson, UH has won at least a share of the conference regular season title six times, including back-to-back Big 12 championships the past two seasons. He has also won the conference tournament three times with the Cougars.

The 2024 Associated Press National Coach of the Year, Sampson has his highest-ranked recruiting class of his UH tenure joining him for the upcoming season, highlighted by three players ranked in the top-20 nationally.

They join a slew of returning players from last season's Final Four team, led by NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional MVP Emanuel Sharp, and national Defensive Player of the Year JoJo Tugler (Cy-Falls).

What they're saying:

Why does Coach Sampson want to remain in Houston? Simple. "I don’t mess with happy, man," he told FOX 26 Sports Director Will Kunkel in an interview before the season.

As far as the Athletic Department was concerned, this was a no-brainer. Athletic Director Eddie Nunez said on Kickin’ it with Kunkel, ""There is no other program in the country that has been able to do what he has done, at the level he has been able to do it."

He also made it clear: "As long as he wants to be our coach -- I'M IN!!"