Cal, Mark Madsen agree to 2-year contract extension
Cal and head coach Mark Madsen have come to an agreement on a two-year extension that will keep the school's men's basketball coach under contract through the 2029-30 season.
The first-year Bears coach joined the program officially last April and has guided Cal to 13 victories just a season removed after the team won only three games.
“Coach Madsen has made an incredible difference in the short time he has been at Cal,” Bears athletic director Jim Knowlton said in a statement released by the program announcing the news Tuesday afternoon. “He has not only developed our young men and made great progress in the last year, but has engaged our faculty, our donors, our fans and truly brought energy back to the ‘Haas Of Pain.’
"I’m excited to extend Mark and work together with him as we make the move to the ACC, and I know our entire Cal family is excited to see what’s next.”
Madsen revamped the roster last spring including adding Texas Tech transfer wing Jaylon Tyson, who was named to the Pac-12 All-Conference first team Tuesday.
The Bears will be the No. 7 seed in this week's Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas after finishing league play with a 9-11 record. Cal earned just two conference victories during Mark Fox's final season in 2022-23.
“I’m fired up every day to be the head coach at Cal, and consider myself very fortunate to work alongside an outstanding group of student-athletes, coaches, staff and administrators who share the same relentless passion for success,” Madsen said. “I’m grateful to Jim Knowlton and our administration for their ongoing confidence in what we’re building in Berkeley.
"Our goal is to win championships and pursue greatness, and our entire basketball program will continue to execute on that vision with the Cal community behind us. There are great things ahead in Bear Territory, and we’re just getting started.”
Though the conference slate opened up with three losses, Madsen and the Bears righted the ship by the middle of league play including a five-game stretch that featured wins over Washington State, Stanford and USC.
Cal locked up Quad 1 wins over Washington and Colorado this season as well.
News of an extension for Madsen comes amid rumors that his alma mater, Stanford, will be parting ways with head coach Jerod Haase this offseason. Madsen's name has already been floated as a potential replacement for the Cardinal.
An extension signals Madsen's desire to continue building with the Bears in the coming years. The Danville native signed a five-year deal when he took over Cal's program last spring.