Story by NU Athletic Communications
Nebraska has agreed to a contract extension with 2024 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year Fred Hoiberg, as announced by Interim Athletic Director Dennis Leblanc and University of Nebraska Interim President Chris Kabourek on Tuesday.
The new contract with Hoiberg, who has guided Nebraska to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014, extends through the 2028-29 season and will pay the Husker coach $4.25 million next season, with annual increases in each of the subsequent contract years.
“I’m appreciative of the confidence our administration has shown in our staff’s leadership of the Husker basketball program,” Hoiberg said. “With our history at the University of Nebraska, this is a special place for our family. We want to continue to build a program that our fans can embrace and one that represents the values of Nebraskans. With the phenomenal facilities and fan support in place, we are positioned to do things that have never been accomplished by the Husker men’s basketball program.”
Nebraska enters Friday’s NCAA Tournament game against Texas A&M with a 23-10 overall record and a No. 8 seed in the NCAA South Regional. Nebraska’s 23 victories are the second-most in school history and the team’s third-place Big Ten finish was the Huskers’ best since a tie for second in the Big Eight in 1993.
“I have had the opportunity to work closely with five men’s basketball head coaches in my four decades in Nebraska Athletics, and I am more confident than ever in the direction of our men’s basketball program,” Leblanc said. “Coach Hoiberg is a great representative of the University of Nebraska, and our program has shown great progress and improvement over the past two seasons. Fred has shown that he is committed to leading a program that succeeds on the court, in the classroom and in the community. We look forward to watching him and our team play on Friday in the NCAA Tournament.”
Under Hoiberg, Nebraska has improved its win total by six victories or more each of the last two seasons, one of only four Division I programs to accomplish that feat.
“I’m thrilled that we are keeping Coach Hoiberg a Husker,” Kabourek said. “He’s all-in on Nebraska and I love what he’s doing to help our team compete on and off the court. Coach Hoiberg is an outstanding representative of the University of Nebraska and I know he will continue to lead the young men in our basketball program to great success, both as players and as leaders in the classroom and in the community.”
Leblanc and Kabourek also confirmed that discussions are underway with Nebraska Head Women’s Basketball Coach Amy Williams regarding a contract extension to recognize her success in leading the Husker program. The Nebraska women’s basketball team owns a 22-11 record and is making its third NCAA appearance under Williams’ direction. The Huskers take on Texas A&M in Corvallis, Oregon, on Friday evening.