Saying he has “a lot of gas left in my tank,” Northern Colorado men’s basketball coach Steve Smiley expressed plenty of joy to continue his work with the Bears for an additional three years.
Smiley, 44 and the program’s winningest head coach in the Division I era, earned a contract raise and extension Friday. The UNC board of trustees approved a new deal keeping Smiley in Greeley through 2030.
Smiley will start his sixth season this year. His overall record is 89-71 with two seasons of 20 or more wins.
“I’m really excited,” Smiley said early Friday afternoon. “I’m really excited to keep building this and I’m appreciative of the university support. It’s huge they can get behind us. None of it is possible if you don’t have support from the top. It helps when people in the program know you have a good long contract and a good long time.”
The contract is effective July 1 and increases Smiley base salary to $185,251 with a guarantee through 2029, extending the deal through June 2030, revising incentives and adding donor-funded retention bonuses. Among the incentives in the contract is additional money for qualifying for the NCAA Tournament and top-four finishes in the Big Sky Conference regular-season standings.
Smiley’s original contract was dated November 2022 with a base salary of $161,645 and was to expire in April 2027.
University of Northern Colorado head mens basketball coach Steve Smiley, right, and his wife Nikki Smiley watch their son Madden play Fossil Ridge on Tuesday Jan. 14, 2025 in Windsor.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)Smiley said he was also thankful for the new contract because he’s glad to be able to raise his family in his home state. Smiley, who is from the north side of Denver, and his wife, Nikki, have two children at Windsor High School: son, Madden, and daughter, Avery.
UNC athletic director Darren Dunn brought the item to the board of trustees. Dunn was the first to praise Smiley, who became the head coach when Jeff Linder left UNC for the University of Wyoming in March 2020. Smiley was previously the associate head coach for four years under Jeff Linder.
“We have a great individual in the men’s basketball coach,” Dunn said. “Outside of wins and losses, what he does with the team, the department and the community far outweigh what he does on the basketball court.”
University of Northern Colorado head mens basketball coach Steve Smiley, left, talks with Jaron Rillie while playing Idaho State at Bank of Colorado Arena on Saturday Jan. 4, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)Smiley led UNC to one of the best seasons in school history in 2024-25. The team won 25 games, the second most in program history, and earned a bid to the National Invitation Tournament for the first time. UNC won 15 games in the Big Sky Conference, shared the regular-season title with Montana and reached the conference tournament championship game.
“He’s a gem, and I agree with Darren, he’s got a lot of energy,” board of trustees chair Dick Monfort said of Smiley.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Northern Colorado men’s basketball coach Steve Smiley ‘excited’ to continue with the Bears )
Also on site :