WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Purdue coach Matt Painter will begin the college basketball season with a contract extension, the university announced Tuesday.
The 56-year-old Painter agreed to a deal that will keep him through 2030-31. School officials announced Painter will receive a pay raise and be eligible for enhanced performance bonuses but that other financial details will not be available until the deal is approved by the board of trustees.
Painter has 501 wins in 21 seasons with the Boilermakers, and he needs 12 more to pass Gene Keady as the school’s career leader. Painter played for Keady and spent one season on Keady’s staff as the head coach-in-waiting before replacing him in 2005-06.
Painter has won five Big Ten Coach of the Year Awards, has been selected The Associated Press Big Ten Coach of the Year twice, was named National Association of Basketball Coaches national coach of the year in 2018-19 and last year received the John Wooden Legends of Coaching Award.
“Purdue is a very special place for me, and it’s an honor to continue to be the head basketball coach at my alma mater,” Painter said. “I’m humbled the Purdue administration continues to put their faith in me to lead this program and am excited to continue to elevate our program with class and strive to reach all of our goals on and off the court.”
Painter and Keady have been Purdue’s only coaches since 1980-81, and Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is the only current Big Ten coach with a longer tenure than Painter.
Purdue’s 117 wins since 2022-23 rank fourth nationally, and the Boilermakers also have the fourth-longest active streak of reaching consecutive NCAA Tournaments, 11.
Only seven coaches have won more Big Ten regular-season titles than Painter’s five. The Boilermakers also have won three conference tournament crowns, including last year under Painter.
And, with two-time national player of the year Zach Edey leading the way in 2023-24, Purdue reached its first Final Four since 1979-80. Purdue lost to UConn in the national championship game three years ago, matching the 1968-69 team for the best NCAA Tournament finish in school history.
The Boilermakers begin a new era of basketball as they try to replace three four-year starters — NCAA career assists leader Braden Smith; Fletcher Loyer, the school’s career leader in 3-pointers made; and all-conference forward Trey Kaufmann-Renn, who will play for Kansas after winning a court battle to get an extra year of eligibility.
The Boilermakers open the season Monday night against No. 15 Gonzaga in Las Vegas.
“Under Matt Painter’s leadership, Purdue men’s basketball has established itself as one of the nation’s premier programs through its success on the court and commitment to excellence in all areas,” athletic director Tommy McClelland said in a statement. “The culture Matt has built, grounded in a shared pursuit of excellence, is reflected in the program’s 106-game sellout streak at Mackey Arena and the tremendous support Boilermaker fans and donors provide at away and neutral-site games across the country. We are proud to have Matt leading our program now and into the future.”
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