Maryland announced today that Gary Williams has been extended one season through the 2012-2013 season, which could increase if academic and athletic standards are met.Last season Gary had coached one of his best years, taking a team that was supposed to finish near last in the conference with no frontcourt to an NCAA Tournament berth plus a win over California in the first round. In his 20 years at Maryland he has led the Terps to 13 NCAA Tournaments in the 16 years after the infraction period.
But also, his players recently have been graduating. Last year Dave Neal, the lone senior on the squad got his degree. The previous year saw all three seniors, James Gist, Bambale Osby and Jason McAlpin graduate. Four of the six leaving seniors on the 06-07 squad graduated as well. So with the recent success, Gary receives this extension.
The upcoming year will be an interesting one for Gary Williams. He returns his entire backcourt with Greivis Vasquez, Eric Hayes, Sean Mosley, Adrian Bowie and Cliff Tucker, and will need to rely on his two freshman big men, James Padgett and Jordan Williams, to be solid down low. The Terps have a lot of expectations this season, especially with Vasquez returning, and this has the potential to be a big year for Maryland. Obviously basketball season is still a good month away, but Terp fans are already thinking about it.
There have been obvious problems between Deborah Yow and Gary Williams, but I'm happy that both realize each other's worth. The fact is without Gary Williams, it is hard to know where this team or this program will or would have been.
(Photo credit: AP)
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