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After being heavily pursued by UNLV, Mick Cronin has decided to remain as Cincinnati's head coach. The school announced Friday that Cronin was staying with the Bearcats, ending an intense process in which it appeared Cronin was ready to leave his alma mater.
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Published reports cite UNLV made Cronin an offer of up to $3 million a season, more than the $2.2 million he makes with Cincinnati.
Cronin signed a seven-year contract extension in June 2014 that runs through the 2020-21 season.
"I would like people to try and understand after 10 years of dedicated service I chose to evaluate my career and my life," Cronin said in a school-issued statement. "Reflecting through that process was extremely difficult, but it was something I needed to do for me personally.
"The city of Cincinnati and the university are special places to me and I've always said what an honor it is to be the head coach at my alma mater. This program has come such a long way in 10 years and we've still got work to do and goals to achieve. The 2016-17 season starts for me today and I can't wait for the future that lies ahead for the Bearcats and this university."
Cincinnati has a 207-129 record in Cronin's 10 seasons and has reached the NCAA Tournament in each of the past six seasons. However, the Bearcats have reached the Sweet 16 just once during that stretch.
Cronin missed the latter half of the 2014-15 season when it was discovered that headaches he was experiencing were due to a aneurysm. He returned this season to guide the Bearcats to a 22-11 record, which ended with a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Saint Joseph's.
"It's important to me and the University of Cincinnati to sustain continuity with Mick Cronin leading our storied men's basketball program," athletic director Mike Bohn said in the statement. "I salute what Mick has built in his first decade at UC as he was and is the catalyst for the prominent growth around the program. Together, along with our donors, fans, students and supporters, we remain on an onward trajectory for long-term success."
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Cronin has been lobbying the university for facility upgrades. Fifth Third Arena is scheduled to receive an $87 million upgrade that will be ready by the fall of 2018.
UNLV fired Dave Rice in January and is still searching to identity the right fit.
"We brought Mick Cronin to Las Vegas to meet about our men's basketball head coaching vacancy," UNLV athletic director Tina Kunzer-Murphy said in a statement. "We appreciate his interest in the position, but he is no longer a candidate as we understand he will be staying at Cincinnati. We wish him all the best."
