MISSOULA — The Montana Grizzlies might be keeping their popular head coach for at least a while longer.
Travis DeCuire and UM athletic director Kent Haslam both confirmed to MTN Sports Thursday night the two sides are in discussions for a three-year contract extension.
“They have been working on this for weeks,” DeCuire wrote in a text message. “Just getting closer.”
When asked if the deal was done, Haslam responded, “Not quite yet. But we are doing all we can to keep him. And hopefully getting close!”
CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein first reported the possible deal with a Twitter post on Thursday night.
Sources: Travis DeCuire is finalizing a three-year contract extension to remain the head coach at Montana.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 29, 2019
DeCuire signed a three-year contract extension after the 2017-18 season. The extension would be a new agreement, replacing the old one. The Montana Board of Regents does not allow contracts longer than three years for public university employees.
DeCuire has compiled a 109-58 record in five seasons at Montana, including a 71-21 mark in Big Sky Conference games. His Griz teams have finished first, second, fifth, first and first in the league standings. UM just experienced the most successful two-year run in school history, with back-to-back 26-win seasons, and back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament.
The success has made the Seattle native and UM alum a candidate for head coaching vacancies at bigger programs. Rumors in the past week have connected DeCuire as a possible choice at Cal and Washington State. DeCuire spent six years as an assistant at Cal before taking over the program at Montana in 2014, and there has clearly been interest from Golden Bear fans and former players to bring DeCuire back to Berkeley. Washington State decided to hire San Francisco’s Kyle Smith.
