Marquette rewards head coach Shaka Smart with a contract extension

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Shaka Smart has quickly exceeded expectations as head coach of the Marquette men's basketball team.

He was rewarded for that on Tuesday with athletic director Bill Scholl announcing that MU had signed Smart to a contract extension through the 2029-30 season.

Smart was hired to replace Steve Wojciechowski in March 2021 and was given a six-year contract. In his two seasons with the Golden Eagles, Smart is 48-20 overall and 28-11 in the Big East.

Financial details of the extension were not disclosed.

"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 led the Golden Eagles to one of the best seasons in program history. MU won both an outright Big East regular-season and a conference tournament title for the first time. The Golden Eagles' 29 wins were a school record.

Shaka Smart is 48-20 in his two seasons as head coach at Marquette.

MU also earned its first victory in the NCAA Tournament in a decade by beating Vermont in the round of 64. The Golden Eagles lost in the second round to Michigan State.

Smart earned several accolades, including Big East coach of the year and national coach of the year from the National Association of Basketball Coaches, United States Basketball Writers Association and The Associated Press.

"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," 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."