Shaka Smart has rejuvenated the Marquette men’s basketball team in his two years at the helm with a different culture and new core values.
And earlier this week, he was rewarded for his efforts.
Smart signed a contract extension keeping him in Milwaukee through the 2029-30 season, the Marquette athletic department announced Tuesday afternoon in a press release. The financial details of the contract extension were not disclosed by the university.
“My family and I are incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be part of the Marquette community, where relationships, growth and victory truly matter,” Smart said in a statement. “I am grateful for Dr. Lovell and Bill Scholl’s continued belief in our program – and for the ways they support us on a daily basis. Most importantly, I feel extremely fortunate to be around our players and staff every day – we have a special group at Marquette.”
Smart just finished leading Marquette to one of its best seasons to date. For the first time in their 106-year-old history, the Golden Eagles won both the outright Big East regular season title and the Big East Tournament in the same season, despite being picked to finish ninth in the preseason coaches’ poll.
Marquette was also named the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and won its first game in the Big Dance since 2013 against Vermont March 17 in Columbus, Ohio.
Smart was named the 2022-23 Big East Coach of the Year and earned national coach of the year honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches, United States Basketball Writers Association and The Associated Press.
In two seasons, Smart has led the Golden Eagles to a 48-20 overall record and a 28-11 conference record.
If this extension runs out, Smart would be tied as the third longest-tenured head coach in Marquette men’s basketball history behind Bill Chandler (21), Al McGuire (13), Tom Crean (9) and Frank Murray (9).
“In a very short period of time, Shaka and his staff have done a tremendous job of establishing a winning culture, both on and off the court,” Vice President & Director of Athletics Bill Scholl said in a statement. “Shaka’s vision for the program is focused on extended, sustainable success. The individuals who interact with the team on a daily basis are able to observe frequent examples of growth and the excitement around the program is contagious.”
This article was written by Jack Albright. He can be reached [email protected] or on Twitter @JackAlbrightMU.
