Colgate signs HC Matt Langel to contract extension through 2030
After just two NCAA Tournament appearances in program history, and none across a 23-year span, the Colgate men's basketball team has made the "Big Dance" in each of their last three tries (excluding 2020).
On Tuesday morning, the Raiders announced that they were going to be hanging on to the head coach who has led the remarkable turnaround for many years to come.
Langel earned his first head-coaching gig with Colgate ahead of the 2011-2012 season, and while the first six or so years at the helm had some ups and downs, the club posted its first winning record in 10 years when they went 19-14 during the 2017-2018 campaign. Following a 24-11 showing in 2018-2019, the Raiders earned the regular-season Patriot League title and the conference tournament championship, thus clinching their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996.
As a No. 15 seed, Colgate almost pulled off a monumental upset in the first round of the event, but fell to No. 2 Tennessee, 77-70. Langel was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year that season.
The Raiders won a program-record 25 games during the 2019-2020 season — losing just nine contests — and earned the regular-season league crown again, but the NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Langel was named the conference's Coach of the Year for the second straight year.
The team went 14-2 in 2020-2021 and again participated in "March Madness," but as a No. 14 seed, lost to No. 3 Arkansas in the first round. This past year, Langel's club went 23-12, won the regular-season conference title and the conference tournament championship again, before earning a No. 14 seed in March and bowing out to No. 3 Wisconsin, 67-60 in the first round.
"First and foremost, I am grateful to our student-athletes," Langel said. "I've always believed that this is a players' game and without their commitment to one another, winning, and accomplishing all the things that they have over time, I wouldn't be in this position. ... Second, I've had a chance to work with an incredible coaching staff -- coaches who have been devoted to the institution and the student-athletes, and helping create what is now Colgate Basketball. I continue to be honored to be Colgate's men's basketball coach. ... The leadership of this institution, the support we've received, the excitement of a new athletics facility on the horizon, and the partnership that we've had makes me feel really good about what we're continuing to do. To get a commitment like Colgate has given to us -- I'll never take that for granted and I am extremely appreciative."
Langel has a career record of 176-165.
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