Pitt extends coach Jeff Capel through 2029-30

Field Level Media|published: Wed 17th July, 20:22 2024

Mar 14, 2024; Washington, D.C., USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel gestures from the bench against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Pitt coach Jeff Capel signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him at the school through the 2029-30 season on Wednesday.

Capel, 49, guided the Panthers to back-to-back 20-win seasons, going 24-12 in 2022-23 and 22-11 last season. They qualified for the 2023 NCAA Tournament after being picked 14th in the league that preseason, leading Capel to win Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year honors.

"The University of Pittsburgh continues to have outstanding leadership. ... I am appreciative of the support they have provided me and my staff as we continue to build a Pitt Men's Basketball program that competes for championships on a conference and national level annually," Capel said. "Pittsburgh is a terrific sports town full of amazing people and we are grateful for the continued support of so many passionate fans. We will continue to give 100 percent of ourselves as we represent Pitt on the court, in the classroom and in the community."

In six seasons at Pitt, Capel has amassed a 97-92 record. He previously served as the head coach at VCU and Oklahoma.

"When Coach Capel initially arrived at Pitt in 2018, he was tasked with one of the most difficult rebuilding jobs in all of college basketball," Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke said. "Jeff fully embraced that challenge from the outset and never wavered from his lofty vision for our players and program. Brick by brick, he built a rock-solid foundation that has Pitt basketball poised for a championship future. Jeff is an outstanding leader well beyond the court and we are highly fortunate to have him representing the University of Pittsburgh."

--Field Level Media