Aug. 20, 2003
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State men's basketball coach Steve Fisher has been signed to a contract extension through the 2007-08 season, San Diego State University Interim Athletic Director Gene Bartow announced on Wednesday.
The 58-year-old Fisher has guided the San Diego State men's basketball program to one of the most dramatic turnarounds in NCAA history. In four seasons, Fisher has led the Aztecs to two straight postseason appearances, including the 2002 NCAA Tournament, a Mountain West Conference championship and three straight seasons with a .500 or better record. All of that for a program that averaged just 9.3 wins a year in the eight seasons prior to his arrival.
"Steve has proven himself to be a tremendous asset for our University, not only on the court, but in the community," said SDSU President Stephen L. Weber. "He is a wonderful ambassador for San Diego State and an exceptional basketball coach and mentor."
"I have known Steve for more than 30 years and he is one of the finest coaches in college basketball," Bartow said. "This is great that (SDSU Vice President, Business and Financial Affairs) Sally Roush and President Weber saw fit to make sure the University will have a coach of Steve Fisher's caliber for years to come."
At San Diego State, Fisher is 56-63 in four seasons and has led SDSU to a .500 or better mark in three straight campaigns for the first time since 1983-85. In just his second season at the helm, Fisher and company won nine more games than the previous season and gave the Aztecs just their second .500 or better season in the last 16 seasons. In 2001-02 he guided the Aztecs to a 21-12 record, the Mountain West Conference Tournament championship and the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1985. Last season, his SDSU squad claimed the school's first Division I postseason victory with a 67-62 win over UC Santa Barbara in the NIT.
"I am excited that we have reached an agreement on a contract extension that will provide a long-term commitment on both my end and San Diego State's end," Fisher said. "My family and I have loved our four years as part of this community and University and look forward to many more years together."
The success on the court has led to an unparalleled interest in the program. Last season, San Diego State played before the first two home sellouts in school history en route to setting a school-record average home attendance of 7,172. The Aztecs, which have enjoyed increases in home attendance each of the last three seasons, have the nation's largest percentage increase in home attendance since the 1999-2000 season. During that span, average home attendance has jumped 173.9 percent
In addition, the Aztecs have become one of the nation's most televised teams with 47 of 63 games appearing on local, regional or national television the past two seasons.
At the completion of his current contract, Fisher, who was hired on March 26, 1999, will have the second longest stint at the helm of the program, trailing only Morris Gross who served as coach from 1929-42. The contract also includes an option year for the 2008-09 based on the approval of the university president and the athletic director.