MACON, Ga. - In the wake of the most successful men's basketball season in Mercer history, head coach Bob Hoffman has been rewarded with a new contract as announced by Director of Athletics Jim Cole on Thursday.
Hoffman's new five-year deal solidifies him as the program leader through the 2016-17 season and replaces a five-year deal signed in June of 2010.
"Bob has done a tremendous job taking the men's basketball program to new heights," Cole said. "We were proud to extend this offer and look forward to the team's continued success on and off the court."
Hoffman's latest season on the hardwood was marked by unprecedented success, as the Bears rewrote the program record books on their way to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament championship. The final buzzer saw the team book a 27-12 overall record, establishing a program record for single-season wins.
The landmark coaching effort elicited praise from around the collegiate basketball world, with SI.com listing Hoffman among the nation's elite coaches and both Bleacher Report and CollegeInsider.com tabbing the team among their respective season-end top-25 mid-major polls.
"It's a blessing to get the opportunity to continue to do what we've been doing," Hoffman said. "President Underwood, Jim Cole and the entire administration have been great to us, and this is just another example of how they continue to help us compete at the highest level."
Overall, Hoffman holds a 75-62 as head coach at Mercer since beginning his tenure with the school in the 2008-09 season. In all four years, his teams have qualified for the Atlantic Sun Championship, highlighted by a championship final appearance in 2010. Hoffman's 75 wins in four seasons equals the program-best win total over a four-year period.
"This also plays an important role in recruiting," Hoffman said. "We have confidence in every home visit talking about the commitment the university has made to our staff."
Hoffman's teams have also been a consistent force in the classroom, with a 50% of his student-athletes earning at least a 3.0 grade point average. Annual community service efforts at local schools, hospitals and charity events are also a staple of the Hoffman era.