A look at four coaches who have had success at midmajor programs and who have, so far, stayed at their schools:
Shaka Smart, VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH
Current status: The 35-year-old just got a contract extension with VCU, reportedly taking him through the year 2023 with a raise from $1.2 million annually to about $1.5 million.
Schools that have reportedly tried to woo him: This year, the major players were the Gophers and UCLA. Smart has also gotten attention from Illinois, North Carolina State and Maryland in the recent past.
Success level: Reached the Final Four in 2011 and made the round of 32 each of the past two years.
Brad Stevens, Butler
Current status: There is no new contract to seal the message, but Stevens has repeatedly said he his happy at Butler.
Schools that have reportedly tried to woo him: Who hasn’t? In the last couple of years, Stevens has been the target of most major openings: Oregon, Wake Forest, Clemson, Illinois, UCLA and Minnesota to name a few.
Success level: Has brought the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championship games in 2010 and 2011.
Mark Few, Gonzaga
Current status: His words and willingness to turn down big jobs have shown Few’s side of the commitment; Gonzaga has responded by locking him up through 2022.
Schools that have tried to woo him: He’s been pursued by schools like Indiana, Oregon and Arizona in the past, but at this point, Few has made it pretty clear: He’s not leaving Spokane.
Success level: Few has made Gonzaga a national brand, making NCAA tournament appearances an annual event (the Zags haven’t missed since Few took over in 1999) and helping Gonzaga notch its first No. 1 ranking and No. 1 seed in program history this year.
Gregg Marshall, Wichita State
Current status: The Wichita State coach got a $100,000 raise in 2011, which brought his salary to $900,000 a year and keeps him around until 2018.
Schools that have tried to woo him: Marshall’s name has been discussed in conversations about the USC, UCLA and Gophers job openings this year, but his team is still playing. On Friday he said: “I’m not a jumper. I’m very content at Wichita State.”
Success level: Next weekend, the Shockers will be going to the Final Four for the first time since 1965.
Amelia Rayno
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