OREM, Utah-Thursday, Utah Valley University men’s basketball coach Mark Pope found himself the recipient of a new six-year contract to stay at the helm for the Wolverines.
This replaces Pope’s existing five-year contract that was set to expire in 2020.
Athletic director Vince Otoupal confirmed this was done because “of what men’s basketball has been able to accomplish these past three years.”
This past season, Pope led the Wolverines to a school-record 23 wins and the best end of season ranking in the kenpom.com poll (#91) in school history.
Pope also led the Wolverines to a second consecutive berth in the College Basketball Invitational while the squad hosted their first ever postseason game in school history against Eastern Washington, an 87-65 rout of the Eagles.
Furthermore, Pope’s squads have excelled in the classroom as well as his players have earned academic all-WAC honors 19 times in his tenure.
His teams have earned back-to-back NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards as well.
Pope has also played an integral role in the construction of the NUVI Basketball Center, a 14,500-square foot building which houses both the men’s and women’s basketball programs.
In three season at UVU, Pope has a record of 52-46 (.531) and is 22-20 (.524) in WAC games.
