Will Wade spurns interest from Vanderbilt, accepts extension at VCU
He's a native of Nashville. He has a 65-36 record as a head coach. He has previous experience recruiting to a Harvard program with high admissions standards.
Everything about Will Wade seemed like a perfect fit for Vanderbilt except for one thing: He already has a pretty good job.
VCU athletic director Ed McLaughlin announced Tuesday the school has reached an agreement with Wade to restructure his contract and extend it through the 2024 season. The new deal includes $750,000 in overall enhancements to the basketball program, including salary increases for Wade and his assistants.
"Coach Wade did an excellent job with our program this year and we are excited about our program’s future," McLaughlin said in a statement. “He and I agreed completely on all of the enhancements that our program needed to continue our elite level of success. While it is flattering whenever a member of your staff is talked about at other institutions, I never worried that Will wouldn't be our coach. His commitment to VCU is unparalleled."
The new deal for Wade reflects the appeal of coaching at VCU compared to mid-level power-conference programs. The Rams have a chance to contend for league titles in the Atlantic 10 year after year thanks to their strong brand name appeal, consistent support from fans and donors and an administration that willing to spend on coaching salaries, facility upgrades and recruiting budgets.
While Vanderbilt made the NCAA tournament seven times in 17 seasons under Kevin Stallings, the job does come with some challenges. The academic standards diminish the pool of prospects the Commodores can pursue and force a coach to recruit far and wide rather than just regionally. The presence of juggernaut Kentucky and perennial power Florida also limits Vanderbilt's ability to contend in the SEC year-in, year-out.
Those are undoubtedly some of the reasons that prevented Wade from seriously pursuing the Vanderbilt job after a 25-win season in year one at VCU. The Rams went to the Final Four in 2011 are one of the nation's only eight programs that has reached each of the past six NCAA tournaments.
"My wife and I love it here at VCU and we are very excited about the 2016-17 season and beyond," Wade said in a statement. "Ed McLaughlin and I continually meet to assess the state of our program to ensure that we are employing the resources necessary to compete at the highest level.
"I want to thank VCU President Dr. Michael Rao, Ed and our incredible fan base for their unyielding commitment to our program. They’ve provided us with a platform for success, and I couldn’t be more appreciative."
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
