In the wake of unprecedented success, Robert Jones has had other opportunities. But he’ll continue to coach at Norfolk State for at least another year, and perhaps for another seven.
Jones, who has guided the Spartans to back-to-back MEAC Tournament titles and NCAA Tournament appearances, confirmed Friday that he has signed a one-year contract extension that could keep him at the school through the 2028-29 season.
The deal, which includes a 5% pay raise, essentially resets a seven-year extension Jones signed before last season.
Sources with knowledge of the situations have confirmed that Jones, NSU’s head coach since 2013-14, received interest from Western Michigan, Fordham, La Salle, East Carolina and Saint Peter’s after the Spartans fell to top-seeded Baylor in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Jones expressed his gratitude toward his players and assistant coaches and NSU’s administrators, including university president Javaune Adams-Gaston and athletic director Melody Webb.
“I’m really happy that they see the importance of having me as the basketball coach and the vision that I have to lead this basketball program,” Jones said. “I just thank them for everything they’ve done for me so far. This extension just shows more commitment that they have towards me.”
Jones will have a base salary of nearly $370,000, plus a $20,000 bonus for scheduling guarantee games that generate at least $300,000 for the program, as he expects to do.
The contract includes additional bonuses for regular-season and MEAC Tournament championships, NCAA Tournament appearances and wins and league Coach of the Year honors among others.
NSU has been to the NCAA Tournament three times as a Division I program, twice with Jones as its head coach and once when he was an assistant.
Jones, 43, has gone 166-126 overall and 104-34 in the MEAC. The Spartans will return 11 players from a team that went 24-7 overall and 12-2 in the league last season.
Jones, a two-time MEAC Coach of the Year, expects the Spartans to again be picked as preseason favorites in the league, though nothing is guaranteed if they are.
“You need a little luck, too,” Jones said. “I think that 11 guys do put you in a favorable position to try to make something happen. But at the same time, we might have the most guys coming back, but we’re not the only team that got better. I think other teams in the league have gotten better.”
David Hall, david.hall@pilotonline.com
