HOUSTON – Kelvin Sampson isn’t leaving Houston anytime soon.
Sampson, who is coming off his sixth consecutive 20-win season, has signed a contract extension with the University of Houston through the 2026-2027 season. He arrived in 2014, and the program has since seen tremendous growth under his watch.
“I am looking forward to continuing our journey of building our basketball program to the best it can be,” Sampson said. “The greatest joy I have in coaching is being with these young men every day. I look forward to continue developing them on and off the court and chase championships.”
Since the 2017-18 season, Sampson has led the Cougars to a 104-23 overall record, two American Athletic Conference regular season titles and two NCAA Tournament appearances. The Cougars are also the winningest Division I men’s basketball program in the state of Texas with 147 victories, 12 ahead of second-place Baylor.
Despite losing four starters from last year’s squad, Sampson has guided the Cougars to a 21-3 record and 14-3 mark in conference play in 2020-21.
During his tenure, Houston opened the Fertitta Center during the 2018-19 season. Since the facility’s opening, the Cougars are 44-3 on their home court and have won 25 consecutive home victories, the nation’s fourth-longest active streak.
“Kelvin is a great ambassador for our university and the city of Houston,” University of Houston Board of Regents Chairman and Rockets owner Tilman J. Fertitta said. “He’s an elite coach and built a top-10 program. I look forward to Kelvin leading our program for years to come.”
Overall, Sampson is one of 10 coaches in NCAA history to lead 3+ teams to NCAA Tournament wins, and he is also one of 15 coaches to lead 4+ schools to NCAA Tournament appearances. He has earned 19 postseason appearances, including 15 NCAA Tournament berths.
Financial details on the contract have not yet been released. Sampson and the Coogs are hoping for a deep run in the upcoming NCAA tournament.