UT, basketball coach Kowalczyk agree to contract extension

University of Toledo head coach Tod Kowalczyk

The University of Toledo and its basketball coach, Tod Kowalczyk, have agreed to a two-year contract extension.

This is the second offseason in a row Kowalczyk signed on for an additional two years. The re-worked deal will extend his employment through the 2018-19 season. All other ares of the contract, including pay and incentives, are unchanged. Kowalczyk is due to make $370,000 next year before bonuses.

“I’m extremely grateful to President Lloyd Jacobs and Mike O’Brien for the support and confidence they are displaying in me with this contract extension,” Kowalczyk said in a statement. “We have made a great deal of progress with our program in three short years, and I’m very excited in the direction we’re heading both on the court and in the classroom.”

Kowalczyk, who inherited a difficult situation three years ago, led the Rockets to a tie last season for the best record in the Mid-American Conference West division.

The Rockets also have displayed significant academic improvement under Kowalczyk. The team’s most recent Academic Progress Rate figure was 959 with an expected mark of 981 for the 2012-13 season. The Rockets also posted a 2.982 team grade-point average in the 2013 spring semester.

“The job Tod has done turning around our basketball program in such a short time has been remarkable,” O’Brien said. “ Tod and his staff have transformed the culture within the program both on and off the court."