Utah coach gets new contract, raise

May 12, 2009 - 10:40 PM SALT LAKE CITY(AP) -- Utah has rewarded basketball coach Jim Boylen with a raise and new contract after just two years on the job.

Utah announced Tuesday that Boylen has signed a five-year deal that will pay him $850,000 annually with potential for $1 million with incentives.

Boylen has gone 42-25 in two seasons at Utah. The Utes tied for the Mountain West Conference regular season championship and won the league tournament this spring, reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2005.

"When I took this job, I promised conference championships, national rankings, NCAA tournament invitations and a return to national prominence," Boylen said in a release. "We are on our way."

Although Boylen had three years remaining on his original contract, which paid him $575,000 a year, athletic director Chris Hill said he wanted to retain Boylen with the new deal, which keeps him in Utah through 2014.

"We are excited about the direction our basketball program is going under Jim and are confident that the best is yet to come," Hill said. "Jim has shown a great deal of commitment and loyalty to this program and university."