Cuonzo Martin awarded contract extension with Cal through 2020-21

Election day may still be ahead, but for Cal basketball the Bears appear to have secured at least a first senatorial term for their head caoch.

The contract situation of California Golden Bears coach Cuonzo Martin was up in the air throughout last season, but eventually it was resolved soon after Cal’s final game. Martin received a $1.64 million annual contract that ensured he would be back for some time, which originally brought him through 2018-19 (full contract details available to read here).

Yesterday Cal extended the contract a further two years. Martin will be coach of Cal basketball through 2020-21, which should ensure recruiting stays on the uptick for years to come.

Martin has been the head coach at Cal for two years, bringing the Bears a 4th seed in the NCAA Tournament last season and an undefeated home record for the first time in the modern era. Cal is predicted to finish 4th in the Pac-12 this season.

Here is the release from Cal Athletics.

University of California men’s basketball coach Cuonzo Martin has agreed to a contract extension with the Golden Bears through the 2020-21 season.

Martin, who is in his third year at the helm of the program, has guided Cal to a 41-26 record over his first two seasons. Last year, the Bears finished 23-11 overall, tied for third in the Pac-12 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed – the highest regional seed in school history.

In addition to Cal’s results on the court, the Bears produced an Academic Progress Rate score of 1,000 – the highest possible – for the 2014-15 academic year, Martin’s first full season overseeing the program.

“Coach Martin is a proven educator who has created a culture of success on the court, in the classroom and in our community,” Director of Athletics Mike Williams said. “He truly cares about his student-athletes beyond the arena with a commitment to prepare them for life after Cal. For the continued success of our men’s basketball program, it is important that we make a proper investment, and given the levels of accomplishment have seen through his first two seasons in Berkeley, we are excited about the direction we are heading with Cuonzo as our coach.”

“I’m proud of what we've been able to achieve so far here in Berkeley, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to continue to build the Cal men's basketball program,” Martin said. “We're just getting started, and we’ll continue to work tirelessly to shape our men into leaders on and off the court. I’m grateful to the university and athletic department for their support of our program and my commitment to Cal. I take great pride in being a member of the Cal family.”