Kennedy Signs Extension Of Supplemental Compensation Contract With UMAA Foundation

OXFORD, Miss.  Ole Miss Athletics Director Pete Boone announced Wednesday that head basketball coach Andy Kennedy has signed an agreement to extend his contract with the University of Mississippi athletics foundation after renegotiation of his supplemental compensation package.

In October, the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning approved an extension of Kennedy’s base contract through June 30, 2011. The UMAA Foundation contract runs concurrent with the State College Board contract.

“It’s been a pleasure watching Coach Kennedy turn this program around,” Boone said. “He’s demonstrated the type of success prospective student-athletes and current players should expect when they come to Ole Miss. Not only is he a good coach, he’s a great recruiter, which should help our program succeed in the years to come.”

“I can’t tell you how excited I am about the future of our program,” said Kennedy, who took Ole Miss to the postseason after a 21-13 campaign in his first year at the helm. “I truly appreciate the opportunity afforded me by Chancellor Khayat and Pete Boone to be a part of the Ole Miss family as we all attempt to move our program forward.”

Considered one of the top young head coaches in the college ranks, Kennedy has wasted no time putting the Magnolia State's flagship university back on the map as a major player on the conference and national scenes.

In his debut season with the Rebels, Kennedy was named the 2007 SEC Coach of the Year by the Associated Press after guiding Ole Miss, a preseason last-place pick in the SEC West, to its first division title and most wins since 2001. The 21 victories were the most ever recorded by a Rebel coach in his first season at the helm.

Kennedy also returned Ole Miss to postseason play for the first time since 2002 and for the 13th time in the program's history, knocking off 18th-ranked Alabama for its first top-25 victory since 2004 and defeating Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia and Mississippi State, while sweeping Auburn. He also directed Ole Miss to its first SEC Tournament semifinal appearance in six years and guided the Rebels to the second round of the NIT.

Kennedy's style of "pressure basketball" ignited the Rebel offense. Ole Miss raised its scoring average eight points from the previous year to 73.1 per game, the highest clip since 1998-99. Kennedy's club scored 80-plus points in four consecutive SEC games this year for the first time since 1976, and the team's 80 points against LSU in the SEC Tournament was its most in a tourney game since 2001, 10 tournament games ago. The Rebels' 100-80 victory over Nicholls marked only the second time since 2001 for the team to reach the century mark in points.

The Tad Smith Coliseum atmosphere experienced a resurgence in Kennedy's initial campaign. The Rebels were 16-1 in Oxford, establishing an arena record for single-season wins. Kennedy's club inspired a huge home-court advantage during SEC play, averaging 8,241 fans and drawing a record crowd of 9,452 for the victory over No. 18 Alabama.

A native of Louisville, Miss., Kennedy was introduced as the 20th head men's basketball coach in the history of the University of Mississippi on March 24, 2006. The 39-year-old came to Ole Miss after a season as interim head coach at Cincinnati, where he was labeled the Big East Coach of the Year by CBS Sportsline and the New York Post.

Ole Miss is currently 2-0 on the young season and will return to action here Friday at 7 p.m. against Lamar.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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