Liberty University has announced a new contract extension for head basketball coach Ritchie McKay. This is the fourth contract extension McKay has received from Liberty in the past five years. This new contract extension runs his contract through the 2029-30 season. The financial details were not immediately available.
“I personally want to thank Dr. Prevo, Ian McCaw, and the Board of Trustees for entrusting me with the opportunity to continue to lead our program,” McKay said in a school release. “Liberty is such a special place to us. It is our home. And during our time here, we have been richly blessed to be a part of many special moments and celebrate some successes.”
The extension comes on the heels of one of the most successful regular seasons in school history. The Flames finished the 2022-23 campaign with a 24-7 overall record and earned a share of the ASUN regular season title at 15-3. Liberty is currently ranked No. 41 in the NET rankings entering this week’s ASUN Tournament, the best mark in program history.
Liberty has won at least a share of the ASUN regular season title in four of the past five seasons. The Flames will also be looking to win a fourth ASUN Tournament title in five seasons. The Flames defeated Mississippi State in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, the program’s first ever win in the Big Dance.
“None of this would have been possible without the commitment, sacrifice, and belief from our past and current players, coaches, fan base and administration who have invested mightily in supporting our pursuit,” McKay continued. “We are so thankful for the past and are even more excited about the future. We look forward to Flames Nation rising with us as we head into postseason and making the move to CUSA.”
McKay has guided the Flames to eight of the program’s nine 20-win seasons in Division I history, including seven consecutive. Prior to this current run, Liberty had never won 20 or more games in two consecutive seasons.
Over the last five years at Liberty, McKay and the Flames have won 128 games, the fourth most in the country during that span. The Flames are also 65-14 in the ASUN during that span and own a 75-5 mark at home that included a 45-game winning streak.
