Chris Mack, Xavier Agree to New Contract: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

Xavier head basketball coach Chris Mack signed a contract extension with the school Thursday that will keep him with the Musketeers through the 2021-22 season, according to Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com. 

Xavier athletic director Greg Christopher is excited for the team's future under Mack, per Jed DeMuesy of WKRC:

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With a 28-win season, there is plenty to celebrate and the future looks even brighter. A big reason for our optimism is that we have the right leadership. Chris is the right leader for Xavier. Chris and his staff had this team in the top 10 in the country and competed to the end for the Big East championship. This season proved what we all knew, that if you can compete for a Big East championship, you can win a national championship. That is our goal. 

"

Mack, 46, has spent seven seasons at Xavier, compiling a 162-77 record and leading the school to the NCAA tournament six times. The Musketeers have reached the Sweet 16 three times under Mack (2010, 2012, 2015), and his seven NCAA tournament wins are the most in school history.

He also led Xavier to two Atlantic-10 regular-season titles and led the Musketeers to a No. 5 ranking at one point during the 2015-16 season, the highest ranking in school history. He was named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association's Henry Iba Award winner as the National Coach of the Year this season.

Mack has established Xavier as one of the Big East's top teams, though a conference or tournament championship has eluded the Musketeers since joining the conference in 2013. That fact likely will make him appealing for programs looking to upgrade at head coach in the coming years, so Xavier wisely extended his contract with the hopes of keeping him at the school for the long haul.

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