BEN HOWLAND AND UCLA AGREE ON NEW CONTRACT

UCLA head men’s basketball coach Ben Howland and the University have agreed on a new seven-year contract, athletic director Dan Guerrero announced today. The new contract, which runs through the 2013-14 season, includes guaranteed compensation of $1.5 million for the 2007-08 season and escalates to $2 million for the 2013-14 season. It also includes the incentive package from his previous contract that has a maximum value of $235,000.

“Ben is certainly deserving of this commitment by UCLA,” said Guerrero. “He is clearly one of the top teachers and recruiters in college basketball. He has re-established UCLA as one of the nation’s elite programs, as our back-to-back Final Four illustrate, and has built a solid foundation that will keep us at the forefront for the foreseeable future.”

“There is no place I would rather be coaching than UCLA,” said the 50-year-old Howland. “This has always been my dream job. I grew up a Bruin basketball fan and it still is hard for me to believe that I am the caretaker of the program that Coach Wooden built. UCLA is a great institution, both academically and athletically, and I am grateful to Chancellor (Gene) Block and Dan for the faith they have shown in me. Back-to-back Final Fours are great, but our team is looking forward to the challenge of taking the next step.”

In 2006-07, UCLA compiled a record of 30-6 while reaching the NCAA Final Four for the second straight year. It was UCLA’s first back-to-back Final Four appearances since 1975 and 1976. The Bruins have won two consecutive Pac-10 titles and several magazines have selected the Bruins No. 1 for the upcoming 2007-08 season.