UCI Gives Douglass Contract Extension

For the second time in barely a year, UC Irvine men’s basketball Coach Pat Douglass has received a contract extension.

Terms of the agreement, which was announced by the university Thursday and runs through the end of the 2007-08 season, were not announced. Douglass has a five-year record of 54-57.

“I’m always happy when they decide to keep me around a while longer,” Douglass said. “I’m glad that the administration likes what we are doing.”

Douglass would not say who initiated negotiations. Irvine Athletic Director Dan Guerrero was out of town Thursday but announced the deal in a written statement.

“Pat has established this program on solid ground,” Guerrero said. “This past year brought great excitement and exposure to our campus and is indicative of the hard work that Pat and his staff provide.”

Douglass, who made about $150,000 last season, led Irvine to an NIT berth and a 25-5 record, the best in school history. The Anteaters won the Big West regular-season title and Douglass was named conference coach of the year. He also was named District 15 coach of the year by the National Assn. of Basketball Coaches.

Douglass, who was mentioned earlier this spring as a possible candidate for then-vacant jobs at Nevada Las Vegas and Tennessee, said his new deal calls for an increase in the amount of penalties he would pay Irvine if he accepts another coaching job. The previous four-year deal, which took effect last June, contained a similar clause that called for Douglass to pay Irvine $50,000 if he left after the 2000-2001 season. That amount decreased to $37,500 in 2002 and $25,000 in 2003. Douglass called the new amounts significantly higher.

Douglass returned Thursday from Chicago, where he spent two days at the NBA tryout camp. Irvine’s Jerry Green, the Big West player of the year, participated in the camp. Douglass said Green has not decided if he will leave his name in the June 27 NBA draft or withdraw it by the June 20 deadline and return to Irvine for his senior year.