Athletics Director Mike Alden gets contract extension
MU Athletics Director Mike Alden isn’t leaving any time soon.
Chancellor Brady Deaton announced Thursday that Alden signed a five-year contract extension that will keep him at Missouri until June 2017.
Alden, Missouri’s athletics director since 1998, has presided over a successful period in Tiger athletics.
The Tigers brought home conference titles in soccer, men’s basketball and softball in 2008-09. The Missouri football team, winners of the Alamo Bowl, won the Big 12 North for the second year in a row.
In addition to racking up victories on the field, student athletes have also found success in the classroom during Alden’s tenure. Missouri led all public BCS schools last year in Academic Progress Rate and has been a Big 12 leader in graduation rate.
"I'm very appreciative of the confidence that Dr. Deaton and the university leadership have in athletics, and I firmly believe this is a direct reflection of the outstanding job that our coaches, staff and student athletes are continuing to do here," Alden said, according to a news release from the MU News Bureau. "Mizzou is home for myself, Rockie and Jake -- it's where we've always wanted to be. This allows us the opportunity to continue to be here for a long time, and we're very grateful for that."
According to the release, Alden’s contract is set to end on Aug. 31, 2012. This new contract will keep him at the university an additional five years.
The new contract does not give Alden an increase in base salary, though he will be eligible for performance-based incentives if he stays at Missouri through June 2014, the release said.
The incentives are based on the financial performance of the athletics department and academic achievement and social responsibility performance of Missouri student athletes, according to the release.
Alden took over as Athletics Director in 1998, taking the place of Joe Castiglione. Going into his 12th season, Alden’s term as director is the longest since Don Faurot held the position from 1946 to 1966.
If Alden serves out his contract, his 20-year run as athletics director will be the second-longest in Missouri history, behind Faurot’s 21 years at the helm.