Wichita State Basketball Coaching News: Gregg Marshall Agrees to Extension Keeping Him in Wichita (REPORTS)
ByWichita State University (WSU) has managed to retain their head men's basketball coach another year.
Unnamed sources told ESPN that Marshall agreed to a new seven-year contract with WSU that will pay him around $3 million annually. The new deal is the third consecutive raise Marshall has received in the last three years, bumping his pay up from $1.75 million.
The University of Alabama (UA) was the school reportedly with the highest interest in luring Marshall from Wichita State. Yahoo Sports' Pat Forde learned Marshall and his family had planned a visit to Tuscaloosa to hear out UA athletic director Bill Battle on a deal worth $4 million per year. The two had also previously met in Wichita, Kan. earlier this week.
Only a matter of hours after Forde's report, Battle released a statement in which he said the school's pursuit of Marshall was over.
"I received word tonight that Coach Gregg Marshall has chosen to remain the head basketball coach at Wichita State," he said, according to ESPN. "I fully respect his decision and wish him and his family all the best. My objective in this search is focused on one goal: to get the best person available to lead the Alabama men's basketball program. I remain determined to bring to our program a proven head coach with impressive credentials, one who understands and values our program, wants to lead our program, and is excited about what can be accomplished at the University of Alabama."
Wichita State has been a dominant force in the Mountain Valley conference under Marshall. Though they do not encounter many nationally ranked opponents in the regular season, the Shockers have been to the NCAA Tournament four years running and have reached the Sweet 16 twice in that run.
Kellen Marshall, Gregg's son who plays on the Shockers, also confirmed his father would be staying put in Wichita.