Eastern Washington signs coach Jim Hayford to five-year extension

Eastern Washington men's basketball coach Jim Hayford signed a five-year contract extension Thursday that could keep him at the Division I program through the 2019–20 season, according to the school.

Eastern Washington men's basketball coach Jim Hayford signed a five-year contract extension Thursday that could keep him at the Division I program through the 2019–20 season, according to the school. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

The news comes just months after Hayford led the Eagles to their second NCAA tournament appearance ever behind a deep team featuring several international players. The 13th-seeded Eagles lost to Georgetown in the tournament's round of 64, and finished the season 26–9. 

Hayford also recruited and coached Tyler Harvey, who led all Division I college basketball players in scoring during the 2014–15 season with 23.1 points-per-game. The Orlando Magic selected Harvey in last month's NBA draft. 

The coach joined the program at the end of the 2010–11 season after spending 10 years coaching at Whitworth University, a nearby Division III program.

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Hayford's most recent contract reportedly netted him $117,000 per year, according to the Spokesman-Review. 

“After such a historic season, college basketball took notice of what coach Hayford and his staff have built,” said Eastern Washington athletic director Bill Chaves.

“This new agreement complements what our program accomplished last year with the hopes of keeping Jim in Cheney for the foreseeable future.”

Since Eastern Washington became a member of NCAA Division I in 1983, no Eagles' coach has lasted longer than five years.