NU signs Carmody to multiyear extension

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Northwestern has signed men’s basketball coach Bill Carmody to a multiyear extension, but the deal was finalized before the season began in November, Carmody announced Monday.

Carmody wouldn’t get into the details of the extension but said the contract was “a multiyear deal” and that he and the university agreed on almost every aspect of the extension.

“I’m not sure when it was signed and official, but it takes forever with the legalese,” Carmody said. “It worked out nicely. I feel really happy that I was afforded this opportunity.

“It was finalized before the season, but I lost track and didn’t think about putting out a press release. It had been done for a few months.”

Carmody is in his 11th season at NU. He came to Evanston after spending 18 years at Princeton as an assistant coach, associate head coach and head coach. Carmody succeeded the legendary Pete Carril as head coach in 1996.

Getting the long extension should help Carmody recruit. The Wildcats are trying to earn their first bid to the NCAA tournament, and they came close last season, winning a school-record 20 games.

“In coaching, people are changing jobs all the time,” Carmody said. “Something like this shows that the university has faith in you and there is a good chance you will be here. My track record is such that I haven’t jumped around a lot. One of the first questions parents ask and recruits ask is, ‘Are you looking for another job?’ ”

Before the signing was announced, a vocal minority of NU fans was probably hoping Carmody would be leaving Evanston for another job. The Wildcats started the Big Ten season 0-3 after going 9-1 during the nonconference part of their schedule. Leading scorer John Shurna suffered a high left ankle sprain in the Wildcats’ 70-47 victory over Mount St. Mary’s on Dec. 23, and the Wildcats’ offensive output went down.