The Board of Regents approved Gophers men’s basketball head coach Ben Johnson’s one-year contract extension at their meeting Thursday. He will now remain with the program through the 2026-27 season.

Johnson, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, attended the local DeLaSalle High School before playing for the Gophers basketball team for three seasons.

As a first-time head coach last season, Johnson took over for previous head coach Richard Pitino, who was fired after eight seasons and two NCAA tournament appearances. Johnson was previously an assistant coach for the Gophers from 2013 to 2018 under Pitino.

The Gophers accumulated a 13-17 record in Johnson’s first season, going 4-16 in Big Ten play. Despite the losses, the Gophers competed in many close games last season with some of the best teams in the conference.

“Ben has done a tremendous job guiding our men’s basketball program,” said Director of Athletics Mark Coyle in a statement. “His team plays with a tenacity and grit that should make every Gopher fan proud, and they are excelling in the classroom and the community as well. Ben is recruiting the state of Minnesota at a high level and has restored some of that magic to Williams Arena. I look forward to Ben leading our program for years to come.”

Johnson and the Gophers will look to build on the potential they showed last season, with three incoming transfers and a top freshman class headlined by 2022 Minnesota Mr. Basketball, Braeden Carrington.