UMass extends coach Mark Whipple's contract through 2020

The University of Massachusetts extended the contract of football coach Mark Whipple through the 2020 season, the school announced.

The 2018 season will be Whipple's 11th coaching the Minutemen and the fifth at the FBS level.

"Mark is a true Minuteman having served our program as head coach in two different eras, for a combined 10 years," UMass athletic director Ryan Bamford said in a statement.

"He has guided our young FBS program, through some challenging times the last four years but has positioned us well for our future."

Whipple, 61, led Massachusetts to the NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) title in 1998 and is the program's winningest coach with 61 victories.

UMass entered the FBS level in 2014 in the Mid-American Conference but became an independent in 2016, finishing with a 4-8 record last season.