BASKETBALL

Florida Atlantic rewards basketball coach Dusty May with a 10-year contract. Here are the numbers

Florida Atlantic University's magical season is paying off for coach Dusty May.

The Owls announced a 10-year extension with a hefty raise for May on Saturday, one week after FAU's season ended in the Final Four in Houston with a loss to San Diego State.

The contract, acquired by The Palm Beach Post, will pay May $1.25 million per year starting immediately and increase by 5 percent each year until 2033. The total base salary comes to more than $15.7 million over the 10 years.

May, 46, is eligible for several bonuses, including $250,000 for winning the national championship, $150,000 for appearing in the championship game, $100,000 for appearing in the Final Four, $75,000 for making the Elite 8, $50,000 for making the Sweet 16, $30,000 for winning an NCAA Tournament game and $25,000 for receiving an NCAA Tournament bid.

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Additionally, May would receive $25,000 for winning the Associated Press or Naismith National Coach of the Year Award, $15,000 for winning the Conference Coach of the Year (as determined by the Conference office), $15,000 for winning a regular-season Conference Championship, $10,000 for receiving an invitation to the NIT and $10,000 for each win in the NIT.

May was named national coach of the year by CBS this season.

May will receive bonuses ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 when reaching certain academic progress numbers.

The contract also calls for FAU to establish an operating budget for the men’s basketball program that is at least 20 percent higher than last season's.

If May takes another job before Feb. 29, 2024 he will owe the university $1.5 million. That number decreases to $1 million, $750,000 and $500,000 over the next three years.

May made $545,000 last season, not including bonuses.

The Owls stunned the college basketball world by advancing through the East Regional and into the Final Four, where they lost in the national semifinal to San Diego State, 72-71, on a buzzer beater after leading for the last 26 1/2 minutes of the game.

FAU finished the season with a program best 35-4 record that included a record 20-game winning streak. They were the Conference USA regular season and tournament champions and won the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament. FAU had never won an NCAA Tournament game entering this season.

The Owls are moving into the American Athletic Conference next season,

"This is an exciting time to be at FAU, and we are thrilled to build upon last season's success," May said.

When asked at the Final Four about signing a new deal, May said, "I learned a long time ago you never mess with happy."

The Post reported during the East Regionals the university was working on a longterm deal to hopefully dissuade May from talking to any schools from the major conferences that could be interested.

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Atheltic Director Brian White confirmed a week ago that May was staying and said the contract would be signed when the team returned from the Final Four.

"What Dusty has accomplished in his first five years at Florida Atlantic is, in my opinion, one of the most remarkable coaching feats in the history of college basketball," White said Saturday in a release.

"In addition to his tremendous coaching ability, he has proven to be an excellent program builder, a phenomenal leader of men, and a great recruiter of talented, high-character individuals. … The exposure that this program's success has provided for Florida Atlantic University is beyond measure, and we are incredibly excited about the future of FAU men's basketball under Dusty's leadership."

May took over an FAU program that had five winning seasons in its previous 25 years. He matched that total in his first five years, including the Owls' run to the Final Four.