CEDAR CITY — Less than a month after leading the Southern Utah University women’s basketball team to its first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament, head coach Tracy Sanders signed a long-term contract extension to remain in Cedar City.
“For me, this has just become home,” Sanders told St. George News Wednesday after the extension was announced. “I love the community here and the total support we have from the administration side down to the fans, all the way around. It’s just been incredible.”
Sanders said that a couple of “well-known” programs expressed interest in hiring her but declined to name them.
“I’m just incredibly excited about our program and the direction we’re headed,” Sanders said. “And we have a lot more to do.”
The T-Birds made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament last month after winning the Western Athletic Conference tournament in Las Vegas.
Sanders was named WAC Coach of the Year after the T-Birds piled up 23 wins and went 16-2 in conference play.
Southern Utah earned a berth in the NCAA tournament, facing perennial power Notre Dame in a first-round contest at South Bend, Indiana.
The Fighting Irish overwhelmed SUU and went on to advance to the Sweet 16 before falling to Maryland.
After a similarly successful season, SUU men’s basketball coach Todd Simon stepped down from his post after accepting the head coaching job at Bowling Green.
T-Birds fans had feared that Sanders might follow suit, but her new contract calls for Sanders to remain in Cedar City for at least the next five years.
Another reason she wanted to return, Sanders said, is her excitement about the T-Birds’ prospects next season.
“We’ve got a great group returning, quite a few starters and great people off the bench who are ready to make huge contributions,” Sanders said. “I’m excited about where we’re at and where we’re going.”
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