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Men’s Basketball: Bob Marlin Signs Contract ExtensionBob Marlin Signs Contract Extension BATON ROUGE, La. — The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors approved a new five-year contract for Ragin’ Cajuns head men’s basketball coach Bob Marlin. The action came at its December meeting earlier this week. “This contract is a show of support by the UL Board and University administration for the performance of Coach Marlin during the two-and-a-half years that he has been responsible for the program,” Louisiana Director of Athletics Scott Farmer said. "With almost 400 wins as a head coach during his collegiate coaching career, he has won at every level that he has coached. It is that history that made him attractive to the University almost three years ago and he has done nothing but strengthen the University’s opinion of him since,” Farmer added. “I appreciate the confidence that the administration has shown to me. Dr. Savoie, Scott Farmer and the entire Universty have been nothing but supportive since the day that I first came to Lafayette,” Marlin said. “They have helped to create an environment that have allowed this program to grow and I look forward to working with them to achieve even better things in the years to come.” Inheriting a program that was rich on tradition but had posted only one winning season since 2002-03, Marlin has led the Cajuns to a 33-36 record in his first three seasons, including a 3-5 record this year. He guided Louisiana to an appearance in the 2012 CollegeInsider.com Tournament, the program’s first postseason appearance since 2003 and the first played on campus since 1985. Marlin’s teams have recorded double figure conference wins in eight straight seasons. In his first two seasons, Marlin’s teams have won 21 Sun Belt games, the second-highest total in the league over that span, and his .656 winning percentage in league games is the highest among active Sun Belt coaches. In 2010-11, the Cajuns rattled off 11 straight wins at the end of the year, which was the longest win streak in the nation at the time. The streak helped the Cajuns claim a share of the Sun Belt West Division crown. In 2011-12, Louisiana went 16-16, the most wins since the 2002-03 season, finishing third in the division. Marlin’s desire to build a championship level program is not limited to on the court. His emphasis on academics has resulted in the Cajun players recording a 2.50 team grade point average in three straight semesters, posting three of the top six semesters since UL started tracking the academic accomplishment of student-athletes in 1982. In 2011-12, six Cajun players were named to the Sun Belt Academic Honor Roll for having a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Marlin has worked to involve the basketball alumni in the program. After being hired, he sought out the counsel of legendary Cajuns coach Beryl Shipley and the duo quickly became fast friends until Shipley passed away last year. That friendship led to creation of the Beryl Shipley Classic in 2011-12 and the jersey of legendary Cajun Dean Church being retired last February. “Coach Marlin has continually showed his desire to embrace the history and traditions of the program and build upon them,” Farmer added. The five-year contract, which is retroactive to April 1, 2012, runs through the end of the 2016-17 season and replaces the original five-year deal that Marlin signed in April, 2010. The base salary of $180,000 from the original contract remains unchanged but the premium benefits of the contract has increased from $95,000 to $220,000 a year, giving the contract a guaranteed sum of $400,00 per year. “In keeping with the precedent that we set when we signed Coach Hudspeth to a contract extension earlier this year, no new money from the University will be used. The increased value of the contract will come entirely from private donations,” Farmer said. Brian McCann
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