Mark Fox Contract Extension Announced By UGA Basketball

Georgia Basketball coach Mark Fox received a raise and contract extension from the University of Georgia Athletic Association Board of Directors Executive Committee. Fox will receive a $ 400,000 raise bringing his salary total to $1.7 million annually. Fox also received an additional year to his contract which will now runs through 2016. 

University of Georgia Athletic Director Greg McGarity had this to say about Fox and Georgia Basketball.

"Mark and his staff have been exceptional in energizing our men's basketball program," said UGA Director of Athletics Greg McGarity. "We are very proud of the way Mark represents our institution, and this action is indicative of the confidence we have in the leadership of our program. We recognize the tremendous amount of time and effort it takes to establish a competitive program the right way, and there is no doubt in our mind that Mark and his staff can get the job done here at UGA."

Fox just completed his second season at Georgia and led the Bulldogs to a 21-12 record this season and back to the NCAA Tournament. 

Mark Fox UGA Basketball Contract Extension Reportedly To Be Announced Wednesday

Seth Emerson reports that the UGA athletic association's executive committee has arranged to hold a teleconference for Thursday morning. Officials wouldn't say what the subject of the teleconference was and would only say that it was a "personnel matter" 

Emerson reports that Georgia has been working on a new contract for Mark Fox who led the Bulldogs to a 21-12 record this season and back to the NCAA Tournament. Further adding to the contract speculation is that the athletics department invited members of the media to the conference call which is something they would only do for the higher profile sports. 

Fox currently has a deal that pays him $1.5 million per year that is signed through 2015. That puts him among the low end of other SEC coaches. The Bulldogs enjoyed the ninth-largest gain in the country this season in attendance averaging 8,250 people per game. Fox has succeeded in putting Georgia basketball back on the map, the challenge going forward is to keep them there. It appears that he is on the verge of getting rewarded for his effort. 

For more on Mark Fox and the Georgia Bulldogs, be sure and check out Dawg Sports. 

Mark Fox's Agent Has Been Approached About Other Basketball Coaching Jobs, Says Greg McGarity

Mark Fox has received inquiries via his agent about leaving the Georgia Bulldogs to coach basketball elsewhere, athletic director Greg McGarity told Marc Weiszer. McGarity:

I am aware of a couple of inquiries about certain positions. It was just `Hey, I haven’t called anybody back and don’t plan to.

Of course Fox has drawn interest. He’s done an excellent job at Georgia, other than fielding a team with the frustrating habit of folding after halftime while holding big leads. Either way, taking Georgia to a NCAA Tournament after years of mediocrity is going to earn notice.

The N.C. State Wolfpack gig was the most-rumored destination in the event of a Fox flight, and is the biggest job remaining after the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Arkansas Razorbacks, Tennessee Volunteers, and Missouri Tigers recently brought on new coaches. Fox could’ve been a viable candidate for any of them, save cash-strapped Tech — even that SEC West school, which currently pays new coach Mike Anderson far more than UGA pays Fox.

For more on Fox and Georgia sports, visit Dawg Sports.

Mark Fox, Georgia Basketball Discussing Coaching Contract Extension

Mark Fox took Georgia Bulldogs basketball to the 2011 NCAA Tournament, the program's second March Madness trip since 2002, and nearly pulled off a win in the process. After posting UGA hoops' first 20-win season since the Jim Harrick years (and doing it without all the, uh, Harrickness), Fox is in line for a contract extension.

The Atlanta Jounal-Constitution's Tim Tucker has comments from both Fox and athletic director Greg McGarity on the subject. Both are very positive a deal will get done soon, and Fox says he'd turn down any other job offer that happened to come his way.

Fox's current deal pays him $1.3 million per year, the same as first-year Tennessee Volunteers head coach Cuonzo Martin, a bit more than newly hired Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets coach Brian Gregory, and almost $1 million per year less than new Arkansas Razorbacks coach Mike Anderson.

For more on Georgia sports, visit Dawg Sports.