University of Wyoming Athletics Director Tom Burman announced on Thursday that the contract of head men’s basketball coach Larry Shyatt has been extended through the 2016-17 season.

Shyatt signed his original contract with the Cowboys on March 31, 2011. His initial contract was for five years with a base salary of $190,000 per year and included incentives for up to $645,000 per year. With the one-year extension, Shyatt is now under contract with Wyoming through the 2016-17 season under the same financial terms.

Tom Burman said,

“We are thrilled with the work Coach [Larry] Shyatt has done on and off the floor in his first year back at the University of Wyoming. His desire to rebuild Cowboy basketball is evident by the long-term visionary decisions he is continually making for the team. This shows his commitment to the continued success of our basketball program.”

Shyatt guided the Pokes to a dramatic turnaround during the 2011-12 campaign. Wyoming finished 21-12 overall for the program’s first 20-win season since 2002-03. The team’s 11-game improvement over the previous season ranked in the top 10 in the nation. UW’s berth in the College Basketball Invitational was its first postseason appearance since 2009 and its first-round win over North Dakota State, 78-75, was the Cowboys first postseason victory since 2003.

UW finished sixth in the NCAA in scoring defense last season, allowing just 56.2 points per game, and was the last team in the nation to allow an opponent more than 60 points. During the season, Wyoming earned its first win over a ranked opponent since 2002, with a 68-66 upset of No. 11/13 UNLV on Feb. 4 in the Arena-Auditorium. Three Cowboys earned All-Mountain West honors at season’s end, including MW Defensive Player of the Year JayDee Luster.

“As the Shyatt family stated a year ago, we are appreciative of leading this basketball program and hope that we can continue to be productive members of the state-wide community. We appreciate the confidence President [Tom] Buchanan, [Athletics Director] Tom Burman and the rest of the administrative staff has given our coaching staff and are glad to be here for the long haul. We will continue to rebuild the fan’s love affair with Cowboy basketball, while playing the game the right way on and off the court.”

In the classroom, five of the six seniors Shyatt coached during 2011-12 have graduated, while the sixth is on track to graduate after UW’s summer session.

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