EVANSTON, Unwell. (AP) Northwestern and coach Pat Fitzgerald have agreed to a brand new contract by way of the 2030 season.

The 46-year-old Fitzgerald is by far this system’s winningest coach with a 106-81 report since he took over at his alma mater in 2006 following Randy Walker’s sudden loss of life. The Wildcats have performed in 10 bowl video games throughout his tenure and gained 5. Northwestern captured its second Huge Ten West championship in three years and beat Auburn within the Citrus Bowl final season.

Fitzgerald was underneath contract by way of 2026.

”From the second I stepped on campus as an undergraduate, I’ve believed that is the best college within the nation, with the potential to supply an unmatched student-athlete expertise,” he stated Wednesday.

Northwestern has invested closely in its athletic amenities in recent times, together with the $270 million Walter Athletics Middle and Ryan Fieldhouse indoor apply facility situated alongside Lake Michigan.

Fitzgerald grew up within the Chicago space and led the long-suffering Wildcats to a pair of Huge Ten championships and a Rose Bowl look as an All-American linebacker underneath Gary Barnett within the mid Nineteen Nineties. His 106 victories are the sixth-most by an lively FBS coach with the identical program.

Outgoing athletic director Jim Phillips referred to as Fitzgerald ”among the best coaches in school soccer” and ”a frontrunner uncommonly suited to this College.”

”Over the course of his tenure, Coach Fitzgerald has constructed a tradition of unwavering perception in excellence each on and off the sphere, and led our Wildcats to unprecedented sustained success,” stated Phillips, who is about to take over as ACC commissioner subsequent month.

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