Vanderbilt locks in Mark Byington with an extension after 2 straight NCAA bids

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Vanderbilt is keeping Mark Byington around after he became the first coach in program history to win 20 or more games each of his first two seasons.

Athletics director Candice Storey Lee announced a contract extension Saturday following the Commodores’ second straight NCAA Tournament berth. Lee said Byington is integral to what Vanderbilt is building for the long haul with basketball an important part of the university.

“Mark understood that relationship from the beginning and won over Commodore Nation with his selfless spirit and an entertaining style of play that honors our commitment to aim higher and be bolder than ever before,” Lee said. “Across athletics, our new era is just getting started, and I look forward to Mark, and our men’s basketball team, helping to lead the way.”

Byington coached Vanderbilt to a 20-13 record in his first season, an 11-win improvement from the previous season. The Commodores went 27-9 this season, a victory off the single-season program record. They also matched the best start in program history winning the first 16 games.

With the winning, attendance also jumped by nearly 40% from the average before Byington was hired in March 2024. Byington’s name has been mentioned with several high-profile job openings even with Vanderbilt’s loss in the second round of the NCAA Tournament when the would-be winning 3 rimmed out.

“At Vanderbilt, we are committed to doing what it takes to win at the highest level of Division-I athletics while holding fast to our values as a university,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “I applaud Mark for demonstrating that those values are a blueprint for historic success.”

Byington thanked the chancellor and athletics director for their trust in the vision that Vanderbilt can be one of the nation’s elite programs. Vanderbilt opened a new building in January 2025 featuring a full-length practice court, locker room, meeting rooms and offices for both the men’s and women’s programs.

Vanderbilt went into the NCAA Tournament ranked 16th in the AP Top 25.

“From making me feel welcome in Nashville to stepping up to support this program in meaningful ways at a time in our game when that has never been more important, Commodore Nation has made it clear they believe in what we’re building,” Byington said. “I can’t thank them enough for making Vanderbilt home.”

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness