Tom Crean has taken another step in becoming one of the most prominent figures in Marquette basketball history.

The men's basketball coach on Tuesday signed a contract extension that will keep him at Marquette through the 2016-'17 season.

Terms of the deal, including pay, benefits and whether the contract had an escape clause, were not disclosed per university policy, but Crean was paid $1,655,819 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, according to the university's tax Form 990.

"Tom has always been about commitment," athletic director Bill Cords said. The contract's length "makes a statement about the commitment of the university and of the coach."

Crean, 40, holds a 141-76 (.650) record in seven seasons at Marquette. He previously signed a multi-year extension in April 2005. Tuesday's contract marked the fourth extension during his tenure.

The coach became the program's 15th head coach in March 1999 and has led Marquette to three NCAA tournament appearances, including a run to the 2003 Final Four. Crean ranks third all-time in career victories at the school.

"It's hard to measure the impact he's had," Cords said. "It involves so many dynamics: the basketball program, the athletic program, the university, Milwaukee."

The contract's length likely will help the recruiting process, although Crean managed to land the heralded 2005 class of Dominic James, Wesley Matthews and Jerel McNeal before the guarantee of a long-term contract.

Crean's name often surfaced in previous off-seasons when other schools had coaching vacancies.

"It's never been my style to put other opportunities out there," Crean told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I know things have come up through the media. Sometimes when you're not defending yourself publicly in the sense of why you want to stay, it opens up the door for other people about why you'll leave."

Cords said in particular that the speculation about Crean taking over the Illinois head coaching job after the 2002-'03 season was just that — speculation.

"That was all media-driven," Cords said. "Nobody stopped to ask him. If they had stopped by the Al McGuire Center, they would have seen him practicing with the team. He was not fazed by it, and we were not fazed by it."

And now everyone knows he is here to stay.