Fresh off a National Coach of the Year award, Johnny Dawkins secures his future in Orlando to lead the Knights through their transition into Big 12 contenders.
Following UCF's first March Madness berth since 2019, head coach Johnny Dawkins was rewarded with a 3-year contract extension, keeping him with the program through the 2029-2030 season.
"Johnny has led our men’s basketball program with outstanding poise and class," UCF director of athletics Terry Mohajir said in a statement following the news. "The stability and continuity he has provided have been, in my opinion, a major reason for the program’s growth. As a result, we’re excited to extend his contract. He is a strong leader and an outstanding role model for our young men."
An extension had been in the works and confirmed at the end of the season, but details had not been articulated.
Now, Dawkins will have the opportunity to lead the Knights into the next decade and continue to build the program to yearly contender status in the Big 12.
In early April, it was announced that Dawkins was named the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year. This honor is awarded to the top head coach in division I college basketball, making Dawkins the only UCF coach in program history to win.
Dawkins beat out multiple future hall-of-famers for the award, including Michigan State's Tom Izzo and UConn's Dan Hurley.
Angela Lento, Vice President of College Insider, Inc. and member of the Jim Phelan award voting panel, highlighted what went into Dawkins earning the award on the Jim Phelan Award's official website.
“I don’t think enough has been made about the job Johnny Dawkins did this season at UCF,” Lento said. “He assembled a roster that included some good players from mid-major programs and had a terrific season in the best conference in college basketball. If UCF won just a few more games, Johnny Dawkins would have been a finalist for every head coaching award.”
Since taking over in 2016, Dawkins has recorded a 189-132 overall record, helping the Knights move into and compete in one of the top conferences in college basketball.
"I’m proud of the progress we’ve made and excited about where this program is headed," Dawkins said in a statement on Thursday. "UCF has become home for my family, and I’m committed to continuing to build a program that our university and fans can be proud of."
Although the Knights' March Madness run was short-lived, Dawkins and the team showed that preseason rankings don't dictate a team's success.
Despite being picked to finish No. 14 in the Big 12, the Knights amassed a 9-9 record, finishing tied for seventh. The Knights knocked off three ranked opponents throughout the season, adding to Dawkins' program-best 12 ranked victories.
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