AKRON, Ohio — (AP) Akron men's basketball coach John Groce has agreed to a three-year contract extension, the school announced Tuesday
The deal will keep the 49-year-old in Summit County through 2026. Officials lauded his teams not only for "consistent success on the court" but also for "sustained excellence in the classroom."
"John Groce is a uniquely talented leader who has done and will continue to do a remarkable job with the The University of Akron basketball program," UA athletic director Larry Williams said in a statement.
Groce is 70-49 overall since he was hired in 2017 by Akron after five seasons at Illinois to replace the legendary Keith Dambrot, who himself left to take the opening at Duquesne. Under Groce's leadership, the Zips won the Mid-American Conference regular season title in 2019-20 before the conference and NCAA tournaments were eventually canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this past season went 15-7 before falling to Buffalo in the MAC semifinals.
Groce released the following statement:
"I would like to thank the Board of Trustees, President Gary Miller and Director of Athletics Larry Williams for the commitment they have made to our program. I often say 'It Takes a Village' and this extension is really a reflection of the outstanding job our student-athletes, staff and support staff have done over the last four years. We have a lot of positive momentum and are excited for the opportunity to add to that moving forward. Our daily focus and attention continues to be on helping the University, athletic department and men's basketball program strive for excellence. We are beyond excited to work with our community, University, alumni, fans and our student-athletes to make that happen."
Groce spent 15 years as an assistant (including eight under Thad Matta at three different schools) before landing his first head coaching gig at Ohio University, where he led the Bobcats to two NCAA Tournament berths and a Sweet 16 appearance in his four seasons. His performance led to his hiring at Illinois in 2012, but he ended up being fired after managing just one NCAA Tournament bid during his tenure. His lifetime record as a head coach is 250-179 over 13 years.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video below originally aired on Jan. 18, 2020:
