Arrow receives contract extension at South Alabama

Jul 18, 2008 - 10:29 PM MOBILE, Alabama (Ticker) -- South Alabama coach Ronnie Arrow signed a two-year contract extension Friday to keep him with the school through the 2013 season.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Arrow, who also coached the Jaguars from 1988-94 before getting fired, guided the team to a school-record 26 wins last campaign, a third straight Sun Belt Conference East Division title and the program's eighth NCAA Tournament appearance. South Alabama lost to Butler in the first round.

"We are really pleased about the success that coach Arrow had in his first year back with us," Jaguars athletic director Joe Gottfried said. "To blend both returning players and new players, record a 26-7 mark, win the Sun Belt Conference East Division and advance to the NCAA Tournament in his first season back is a real credit to his leadership."

Arrow also was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year, becoming just the second coach in league history to claim the award three times. Under his direction last season, the Jaguars became just the second school in league history to place four players on the All-Conference teams.

"Everything starts with the head coach, but what this extension is a reflection of the work put in by our players and my assistant coaches to have been able to get us where we wanted to be, which was the NCAA Tournament last year," Arrow said. "I think it is a tribute to the team that we had and a tribute to my assistant coaches for our extension."