Majerle, Stankiewicz get new 4-year coaching contracts with Grand Canyon University

PHOENIX, Ariz. – College head coaches are judged by wins and losses. And postseason appearances.

Both Dan Majerle and Andy Stankiewicz are ahead of the game in the won-loss category but lack in the number of Division I postseason appearances by the men’s basketball and baseball programs, respectively, at Grand Canyon University.

Combined, they have none.

Yet, GCU rewarded the two with brand new four-year contracts, and while financial terms were not disclosed vice president of athletics Mike Vaught said both will become the highest-paid coaches in the Western Athletic Conference in their sports and among the upper end of coaches from mid-major conferences.

Guess now would be a good time to remind everyone GCU is not eligible for NCAA postseason play until it completes the four-year transition period in 2017-18.

Once eligible, however, GCU expects to make regular appearances in the postseason due to the rock-solid foundation laid by both Majerle and Stankiewicz over the past two seasons, which led to the pair being rewarded on Wednesday.

Their new contracts run through 2019.

“I spent 45 years in professional sports and I had a habit of tearing up contracts; coaches contracts, player contracts,” said GCU special consultant for Division I athletics Jerry Colangelo, who made the extension announcement. “And the reason I did things like that was I truly believed that if someone did such a job, that they over-(exceeded)-expectations, they were entitled to more. That’s being part of team effort. People need to be rewarded whenever that’s possible.”

Majerle’s teams have finished third and second, respectively, during their first two years in the WAC. After a 15-15 year in its inaugural D-I season, GCU went 17-14 while playing a schedule that included Kentucky and Indiana, and a home win over New Mexico.

“Exciting things are happening, more students, great crowds, beautiful schedule,” Majerle said. “We have Louisville and San Diego State home-and-homes. We have Illinois home-and-home. We’ll be on the road at Illinois and Louisville this year. In 2016, we’ll have Louisville and San Diego State playing on our campus. In 2017, we’ll have Illinois playing on our campus. In 2016, we’ll be playing in a tournament where we’re playing one of the top teams in the country at their place. That’ll be announced later (indications are that it is a game at Duke).

“So if there’s any indication of what the last two years have been like, I can’t wait for the next four because it’s going to be a heck of a ride.”

Stankiewicz is coming off a season in which he led GCU to the WAC regular-season title with a 33-22 record that included wins over Tennessee, UNLV, Cal Poly, Texas Tech, Kansas and Missouri Valley Conference champion Bradley.

His team finished second in the WAC in 2013-14.

“My family, we’re indebted to this university. I took (the job) because I love a challenge, and I felt like we could build something pretty special here at this university,” Stankiewicz said. “What’s going on here is very special. It’s something that—obviously when I was offered a contract extension—I’m excited about (and) 2018 is when we’re postseason eligible and 2018 we’re going to make some noise.”