Fred Hoiberg has been one of the top head coaches in NCAA men’s college basketball this season, guiding Nebraska to a school-record 15-5 mark in the Big Ten Conference and 26-5 overall. His efforts earned the Cornhuskers the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, automatically moving them to the quarterfinals.
Nebraska Rewards HC Fred Hoiberg With a Contract Extension
Hoiberg, who led Nebraska to its third straight 20-win season, was rewarded by the university with a contract extension that will keep him as coach through the 2031-32 season, according to CBS Sports’ college basketball insider Jon Rothstein.
Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen confirmed the deal in a statement Monday. Dannen praised the accomplishments Hoiberg achieved over the past three seasons, transforming the Cornhuskers from a 24-win team in his first three years of coaching into one of the most feared college basketball programs in the nation.
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“Fred Hoiberg is a tremendous representative of the University of Nebraska, the Lincoln community, and our state. We are extremely proud that he will continue to lead the Nebraska men’s basketball program well into the future,” Dannen said.
“Fred has built this program step by step, and his leadership has Nebraska positioned to continue to compete at a high level in the Big Ten Conference and nationally. Fred is one of the most respected coaches in the country by his peers, and his success has been recognized throughout the college basketball world,” the school official added.
KETV Omaha reported that Hoiberg’s extension will pay him $5 million next season, increasing by $100,000 each year through 2031-32. Hoiberg previously coached Iowa State and the Chicago Bulls.
He will also receive a $500,000 bonus in July 2026 and 2029 if he remains head coach, along with an $8 million buyout if he leaves for another school. Previously, he earned $4,450,000 per contract.
Reacting to his new deal, Hoiberg thanked Dannen and university president Jeffrey Gold for their support of the basketball program.
“We have a long family history with the University of Nebraska, and the support we have received over the last seven years is truly remarkable. We are blessed with world-class facilities, but the people are what make Nebraska special,” he said. “Our goal is to continue building a program that our fans can embrace and have pride in because it represents the values of Nebraska.”
Showing his impact beyond the court, the 2025-26 men’s college basketball team finished the fall semester with a combined GPA of 3.340, the highest in program history. Before this academic achievement, every team member was named to the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.
Hoiberg and Nebraska are on a hot streak, reaching the postseason in the 2024 NCAA Tournament and winning their first-ever College Basketball Crown last season. The Cornhuskers secured their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 10 years in 2024 and went on to win the CBC, defeating Arizona State, Georgetown, Boise State, and UCF in the final.
The team’s chances of reaching the 2026 NCAA Tournament look strong this season after an impressive regular season. Nebraska has a good shot at earning an automatic bid, as it will only need to win in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
If it doesn’t win the Big Ten Tournament, the team still has a strong chance of earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament based on its overall regular-season performance. Nebraska, which peaked at No. 5 in the AP men’s college basketball poll in Week 12, is ranked No. 12 in the NET rankings with a 9-5 record against Quadrant 1 teams and a 5-0 record against Quadrant 2 squads.
Nebraska’s remarkable success both on and off the court under Hoiberg shows that the Cornhuskers have found the perfect leader to guide the program’s ongoing rise.
