Knights' coach Johnny Dawkins inks a new deal after leading UCF to the NCAA Tournament, ensuring his successful tenure in Orlando continues.
The Johnny Dawkins era in Orlando will continue for the foreseeable future, as he's received a contract extension after leading the UCF Knights to the NCAA Tournament.
Jon Rothstein, a college basketball insider for CBS Sports, reported UCF giving its coach an extension on X. The details are unknown, but Dawkins' stay with the Knights extends past a decade.
After losing to the UCLA Bruins last Friday, Dawkins expressed his confidence in the contract extension talks figuring itself out and how he views Orlando as his second home.
“You guys know I love UCF,” Dawkins said in his postgame press conference. “I’ve been here for over a decade. So, it’s been my home, or second home basically.”
UCF finished Dawkins' 10th season as the program's leader with a 21-12 overall record and a 9-9 record in conference play. The year started with red-hot dominance against non-conference opponents.
The Knights posted an 11-1 record at the end of last year, only losing to the Vanderbilt Commodores. When Big 12 play ramped up in the new year, Dawkins collected another upset in his book against the then-No. 17 Kansas Jayhawks.
He added two more upsets against then-No. 11 Texas Tech and then-No. 19 Brigham Young. UCF's performance throughout the year booked the team a ticket to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 10 seed.
Though the Knights went dancing, they quickly left the dance floor early with the No. 7 seed Bruins dashing their hopes. Despite a first-round exit, Dawkins reminisced about the historic season his team put together.
"Along the way, we did some special things," Dawkins said. "That's what's so beautiful about the season. We achieved our ultimate goal; we did that. We achieved some things along the way, like getting that large bid-in and the first team in UCF history to since we've entered the Big 12 to be playing in March Madness."
Dawkins' recent success earned him an extended stay in Orlando. However, a new contract means new expectations; Dawkins must continue replicating similar success to continue his tenure.
UCF is losing a slew of seniors who were crucial to the program's return to the NCAA Tournament. Dawkins' scouting begins when the transfer portal opens, aiming to recoup the talent he's losing.
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