Unusual Stability

MVC Coaches Extended Contracts

(St. Louis, MO) – When Northern Iowa’s Ben Jacobson’s roll-over (five-year) contract was announced, it reinforced the Missouri Valley Conference’s unusual stability. Since late last season, four coaches have received extensions. Six coaches are in their first contracts with their programs.

So, ten of eleven head coaches seem to have multiple years on their contracts and have great security to build their programs.

While Belmont does not discuss contracts in the media, it is  believed that Casey Alexander’s original contract was for five years. He is entering his seventh season. Of course, we believe his role at Belmont is secure.

New Contracts

Ryan Pedon led Illinois State to their first winning season since 2018-19 and was rewarded with a contract extension. The Redbirds finished 22-14 and all-conference performers Chase Walker and Johnny Kinziger lead a roster that many believe will be the Valley’s strongest.

Pedon is now signed through the 2029-30 season.

Brian Wardle is rumored to have received a contract extension. While no official announcement has been released, the Bradley head coach has several returners and an outstanding incoming freshman class. That official announcement should be coming out soon.

Wardle spent nearly nine years with no assistant coaching turnover but has experienced some more adjustments the past two seasons. Season eleven on the Hilltop will be a little different than the past, but Wardle’s stamp and culture are all over the Braves’ program.

David Ragland’s extension was announced in April. Since Evansville is a private school, their announcement did not include the length of the contract nor the financial details. There are reports that the contract runs through the 2029-30 season.

Ragland (33-66) is consistently landing outstanding talent, and Evansville’s ability to hold on to that talent will be greatly enhanced by his job security.

Ragland’s staff has been uniquely stable for a team that has struggled to finish above .500.

Jacobson has a contract that automatically rolls over, adding a year to the back side of a five-year deal. The ‘Dean of Valley Coaches’ is now secured through the 2030-31 season.

The unusual stability surrounding the league coaches is unique to the Valley.

First Contracts!

SIU’s Scott Nagy, Indiana State’s Matthew Graves, Illinois Chicago’s Rob Ehsan are in the second years of their original contracts which vary in length, but each have two-to-three years remaining.

Roger Powell is working on the third year of his original five-year deal at Valparaiso.

Nagy is signed through 2029-30 and Graves is contracted through 2029.

Drake’s Eric Henderson and Murray State’s Ryan Miller are first-year coaches at the very beginning of their initial deals. Henderson is believed to be signed through 2030-31 and Miller is signed through the 2028-29 season.

In an era of unusual turnover, this year’s Missouri Valley Conference seems to enjoy unusual stability.

Despite Ragland and Powell’s .333 winning percentages, it doesn’t seem that there is one of the Valley coaches sitting on the proverbial ‘hot seat’. Both of those coaches have to find a way to retain the talented players they recruit, or those seats could get warm.

Ironically, this unusual stability stems from a massive change over in the head coaching ranks during the past three seasons. Only Jacobson and Wardle have been at their current posts longer than three years. Wardle is heading into his eleventh season at Bradley and this will be ‘Jake’s’ twentieth at UNI.

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