USC men’s basketball head coach Andy Enfield receives extension through 2023 season

Men’s basketball head coach Andy Enfield was granted a contract extension through 2023, Athletic Director Lynn Swann announced on Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In four years, Enfield has revived the Trojans basketball program from dead last in the Pac-12 to a NCAA Tournament contender winning more games each and every season. The 47 wins in the last two seasons mark the most in any two-year stretch in program history. In 2016-2017, USC started 14-0, its best start since the 1971 season, and finished with a program record 26 wins, including two victories in the NCAA Tournament.

“With Andy Enfield as our head coach, we have built consistency and stability in our men’s basketball program,” Swann said. “Extending Andy’s contract will allow that consistency and stability to continue. The record-setting season we just had is proof that Andy has established the USC program as an annual contender on the national level.”

The team continued to succeed under Enfield this season, battling against mid-season injuries and cross-country doubters to clinch a spot in the play-in game for the No. 11 seed in the NCAA tournament. After storming back in a redemption matchup against Providence, Enfield led his Trojans to upset No. 6-seeded SMU.

The team’s time in the big dance ended with a 4-point loss to Baylor, a No. 3 seed expected to walk over USC on their way to the Sweet Sixteen and beyond. This year’s performance was a massive improvement, giving the team its second consecutive tournament berth after only a single NCAA appearance over the four years of Enfield’s predecessor, Kevin O’Neill.

And the team’s run in the NCAA tournament turned heads across the country, earning Top 15 rankings in premature Top 25 predictions from USA Today, Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports.

Before coming to Los Angeles, Enfield coached at Florida Gulf Coast University, leading the program its first No. 15 seed in the 2013 NCAA Tournament. Under Enfield, the team went on to upset No. 2 seed Georgetown and No. 7 seed San Diego State, becoming the first No. 15 seed to reach the Sweet Sixteen.

The run came to an end against No. 3 Florida, but Enfield’s success after such a short time with a young program made its mark in the national attention. His impact on the Trojans’ program has been similar in the last two years, but the six-year extension will help to give him the time he needs to cultivate a winning program that can compete in a Pac-12 that is consistently growing as a national powerhouse in basketball.

Between sophomore forward Bennie Boatwright’s declaration for the NBA Draft and the possibility that fellow sophomore forward Chimezie Metu could follow, the team’s future isn’t entirely etched in stone. But the Trojans’ performance in his first two seasons has given Enfield and his team confidence as they look forward.

“Our coaching staff is proud of our players’ development and accomplishments both in the classroom and on the court,” Enfield said. “With the core of veteran returnees and incoming talented freshmen, we are excited about the future of USC basketball.”