Mike Hopkins will be back at Washington next season as men’s basketball coach despite an underachieving campaign for the Huskies.
Washington (16-16, 8-12 Pac-12) lost to Colorado on Wednesday in the Pac-12 tournament.
“The recently concluded men’s basketball season fell below the expectations that we have for all of our athletic programs at the University of Washington,” athletic director Jennifer Cohen said in a statement, per The Seattle Times. “I am disappointed, Coach Hopkins and his staff are disappointed and, importantly, our passionate fans and supporters are disappointed.
“After completing a postseason review of the program and after several in-depth discussions with Coach Hopkins, I am hopeful that next season will once again see the Huskies competing for a Pac-12 championship and back in the NCAA tournament. Coach Hopkins understands our expectations and is committed to make any and all necessary changes to get us there.”
Hopkins has two years and $6.3 million remaining on his contract, The Times reported.
Hopkins, 53, joined the Syracuse coaching staff in 1995 and in 2015, was named the Orange’s coach in waiting and was set to take over whenever Jim Boeheim decided to leave the job.
Boeheim outlasted Hopkins, who took over the Huskies program in 2017. He has a 101-91 record with one NCAA Tournament appearance with Washington.
He won back-to-back Pac-12 Coach of the Year awards in his first two years with the Huskies.
Boeheim stepped down at Syracuse after 47 seasons last week.
–Field Level Media