Liberty University has announced a new contract extension for head basketball coach Ritchie McKay.
The extension comes on the heels of the two most successful seasons in school history. The Flames have won 59 games over the two seasons, setting a school record for wins in both seasons, beginning with 29 last year and 30 this season. Liberty has won a share of the ASUN regular season title and the ASUN Tournament title the past two seasons including a win over Mississippi State in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
Liberty did not get a chance to duplicate its success in the 2020 NCAA Tournament as the NCAA canceled it and the rest of the winter and spring championships.
McKay has guided the Flames to five of the program’s seven 20-win seasons in Division I history including four consecutive. Prior to this current run, Liberty had never won 20 or more games in two consecutive seasons.
In his 7 years as head coach at Liberty, McKay has an overall record of 154-87 and conference record of 80-39. He is the program’s Division I win leader and is second on Liberty’s all-time win list trailing only Jeff Meyer who has 259, 134 of which came at the Division I level.
This is the second straight year McKay has received a contract extension as he received a 6-year extension following the 2018-19 season that lasts through the 2024-25 campaign. The financial details and length of the current extension were not immediately available.
“I am very thankful for the leadership that continues to invest and believe in our program,” McKay said. “It is truly a privilege to be a part of something bigger than yourself. The growth that we have experienced is directly related to the commitment made by President Falwell Jr. and Ian McCaw and additionally the hardwork and sacrifice from our student-athletes, assistant coaches, support staff and our families.”
