The University of Louisville has agreed to a contract extension and raise for baseball coach Dan McDonnell, the school announced Wednesday, in the wake of multiple reports suggesting McDonnell was a top candidate for several other big-time college jobs.
The school gave McDonnell a 10-year extension on his existing contract and will pay him $1 million in base salary. The contract also includes several retention bonuses, including a $150,000 payment if McDonnell stays at U of L through next summer. He will receive another $150,000 bonus if he's still at U of L in 2020, and then the bonus drops to $100,000 every two years after that, beginning in 2022 and running through 2026.
McDonnell, who took the U of L job in 2007, has guided the Cardinals to three College World Series and has them in position to return to college baseball's championship this year, with the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. He's collected a 453-189 record over the past nine-plus seasons, including nine NCAA Tournament appearances and five trips to the super regionals.
The announcement comes as McDonnell's name popped up as a potential candidate for the job openings at Alabama and Texas, two powerhouse programs. McDonnell told reporters Tuesday that he had no spoken to anyone about the Texas job, but U of L athletics director Tom Jurich said Monday that he expected other schools to pursue his coach and would "go down fighting" to keep McDonnell at Louisville.
"Dan came here in the summer of 2006 with an incredible vision as well as a specific plan on how to accomplish that vision, and the results have exceeded any and all expectations," Jurich said in U of L's announcement of the contract extension.
"In my opinion, he is second to none - not only as a coach, but also as a person, and that’s what sets him apart. He is a perfect fit for this baseball program, this university and this community, and he’s built this into something very special. Under Dan’s guidance, Louisville baseball is in great hands and the future couldn’t be any brighter."
The school gave McDonnell a 10-year extension on his existing contract and will pay him $1 million in base salary. The contract also includes several retention bonuses, including a $150,000 payment if McDonnell stays at U of L through next summer. He will receive another $150,000 bonus if he's still at U of L in 2020, and then the bonus drops to $100,000 every two years after that, beginning in 2022 and running through 2026.
McDonnell, who took the U of L job in 2007, has guided the Cardinals to three College World Series and has them in position to return to college baseball's championship this year, with the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. He's collected a 453-189 record over the past nine-plus seasons, including nine NCAA Tournament appearances and five trips to the super regionals.
The announcement comes as McDonnell's name popped up as a potential candidate for the job openings at Alabama and Texas, two powerhouse programs. McDonnell told reporters Tuesday that he had no spoken to anyone about the Texas job, but U of L athletics director Tom Jurich said Monday that he expected other schools to pursue his coach and would "go down fighting" to keep McDonnell at Louisville.
"Dan came here in the summer of 2006 with an incredible vision as well as a specific plan on how to accomplish that vision, and the results have exceeded any and all expectations," Jurich said in U of L's announcement of the contract extension.
"In my opinion, he is second to none - not only as a coach, but also as a person, and that’s what sets him apart. He is a perfect fit for this baseball program, this university and this community, and he’s built this into something very special. Under Dan’s guidance, Louisville baseball is in great hands and the future couldn’t be any brighter."
