Coaches Receive Extensions

UC Santa Barbara on Monday extended the contracts of men’s basketball Coach Bob Williams and women’s Coach Mark French, said Gary Cunningham, the school’s athletic director.

Williams received a three-year extension and is signed through March 2008. French also got a three-year extension and is signed through June 2008. Terms were not announced.

Williams led the Gauchos to a 20-11 record, their first Big West Conference title and their first appearance in the NCAA tournament.

French guided the Gauchos to a 26-6 record, their sixth consecutive Big West championship and their eighth NCAA tournament appearance.

Duke’s Jason Williams and Connecticut’s Sue Bird won the Naismith Awards as the top men’s and women’s players in the nation.

Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma and Pittsburgh’s Ben Howland were the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s choices for women’s and men’s coaches, respectively.