Colorado rewards Payne with 5-year extension after Sweet 16 run

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — JR Payne received a five-year contract extension Thursday after leading the Colorado women's basketball team to its first Sweet 16 appearance in 21 years.

The extension announced by athletic director Rick George keeps Payne under contract through the 2027-28 season.

“After reaching the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season and making a run to the Sweet 16, I felt that this was the right time to make this change to her contract,” George said in a statement. "I look forward to the program continuing its upward trajectory moving forward.”

The Buffaloes finished 25-9, just the second time they've won that many games in the last 27 years. Their signature win was a 61-53 overtime victory at 13th-ranked Duke in the second round of the NCAA tournament before losing to second-seeded Iowa and star Caitlin Clark 87-77 in the Sweet 16.

Payne is 119-93 since taking over the program in 2016-17 and she's compiled a 59-29 record over the last three years.

“We have poured our heart and soul into building this program into something special and we’re so thankful for the opportunity to continue to push ourselves to national prominence,” Payne said.

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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll