Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Larrañaga, ’Canes agree to two-year contract extension
CORAL GABLES — Hurricanes men’s basketball coach Jim Larrañaga knows he will be without Lonnie Walker IV and Bruce Brown — two of Miami’s top players — moving forward. But he’s determined to continue the work of building Miami’s program.
Tuesday, Athletic Director Blake James announced UM and Larrañaga had agreed in principle on a two-year contract extension. The new deal will keep Larrañaga, 68, at Miami through May 2024.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Coach Larrañaga is an integral part of our athletics department’s success, and he continues to demonstrate year after year that he is one of the best basketball coaches in the nation,” James said in a statement.
Larrañaga has a 161-79 record in seven seasons at Miami, including a 75-49 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He has led the Hurricanes to four NCAA Tournament berths, including two Sweet 16 appearances.
“We are excited about the direction in which our program is headed,” said Larrañaga, who is 631-413 in his 34-year coaching career. “This contract extension is a strong indication that we have the support of the university to continue the winning tradition and culture we have built. I am grateful for this commitment and especially want to thank our president, Julio Frenk, our athletics director, Blake James, and our university administration for the confidence they have shown in me and our coaching staff.”
Larrañaga, who guided UM to a 22-10 record last season, became the first coach in school history to post six 20-win seasons. The Hurricanes lost to Loyola-Chicago in a stunning upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
He now faces a daunting roster rebuild with both Lonnie Walker IV and Bruce Brown announcing they were hiring agents ahead of the NBA draft, giving up the option of continuing their college careers. Also testing the process is sophomore forward Dewan Huell, who is entering the draft but said he was not planning on hiring an agent, leaving him the option to return.
Walker, Brown and Huell were Miami’s leading scorers last season, averaging 11.5, 11.4 and 11.4 points respectively. Brown was also Miami’s leading rebounder, averaging 7.1 per game, despite being sidelined late in the year by a foot injury.
Larrañaga said Monday that he hoped the success of Brown and Walker at Miami would help other young players realize the school could help them prepare for professional careers.
“The message it delivers to all high school prospects is that Miami is a great destination if you want to get a great education, but also play at the highest level of basketball and give yourself an opportunity to develop into an NBA talent,” Larrañaga said.
Larrañaga’s new extension will also likely help on the recruiting trail as he and his staff pursue top-notch high school prospects, prep school players and potential Division I transfers.
ACC matchups
The ACC on Tuesday announced next season’s 18 conference matchups for all 15 schools, including Miami.
The Hurricanes are set to host Florida State, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, NC State and Pittsburgh.
Miami will play at Florida State, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Boston College, Duke, Louisville, Syracuse and Virginia.