Van Horn among six Razorback head coaches extended through 2023
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas head baseball coach Dave Van Horn was among six Razorback coaches to receive contract extensions this week through 2023.
Van Horn, softball coach Courtney Deifel, men’s track and field coach Chris Bucknam, women’s track and field coach Lance Harter, men’s golf coach Brad McMakin and women’s golf coach Shauna Taylor were each signed to new five-year contracts with options for two one-year extensions, based on success, that could extend the agreements to a maximum of seven years. All six contracts replace previous employment agreements.
The new agreements took effect, retroactively, on July 1 and run through June 30, 2023.
“We are fortunate to have some outstanding coaches leading nationally successful programs at the University of Arkansas,” said Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek. “Each coach in this group has proven to be among the best coaches in their respective sports as evidenced by the numerous national championships, national championship runner-up finishes, conference titles and program firsts.
“After having an opportunity to observe each of these programs and their performance, both historically and in their most recent seasons, I made it a priority to secure these highly successful coaches with agreements that will keep them at the University of Arkansas and reward them accordingly based on the success of their programs. Head coaches are an integral part of the overall success of Razorback Athletics. I am confident that under the leadership of Dave, Courtney, Chris, Lance, Brad and Shauna we will continue to successfully pursue our mission of ‘Building Champions and Razorbacks for Life.’”
Van Horn will be paid $925,000 annually from his base salary plus speaking engagements and camps, which are factored in the compensation for each coach. He is 642-404 in 16 season as head coach at Arkansas with five appearances in the College World Series. The Razorbacks finished 48-21 as the national runner-up in the 2018 season.
Deifel will make $285,000 after leading the Arkansas softball team to its first-ever NCAA Super Regional appearance in 2018. The Razorbacks were 42-17 and hosted an NCAA Regional for the first time in program history.
Bucknam and Harter will each earn $250,000. Bucknam is entering his 11th season as head cooach of the men’s track and field and cross country program. Harter has led the women’s track and field and cross country program for 28 years.
McMakin and Taylor each will each earn $225,000. They are entering their 13th and 12th seasons, respectively, at Arkansas.
Arkansas finished 16th in the Learfield Spors Directors’ Cup at the end of the 2017-18 season and ranked first among programs with 19 sports or less. The No. 16 national finished tied a program record for the university’s combined intercollegiate athletics program.