WACO, Texas — Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades has received a 10-year contract extension, the university announced Monday afternoon.
Rhoades is finishing his sixth year as Baylor's AD after arriving from Missouri on July 13, 2016, while the school was dealing with the fall-out from the school's recent scandal involving numerous allegations of sexual assault by football players.
As a private school, Baylor has declined to disclose specific contract terms, including salary.
The contract was approved by the school's Board of Regents Monday and, according to the school's announcement, "will allow the two-time Athletic Director of the Year to complete his career at Baylor, leading one of the most recently successful Power 5 programs in the country."
Since Rhoades' arrival in Waco, the school has played in its first two Big 12 Conference Championship Games in football and two Sugar Bowls, winning one of each, won a women's basketball national championship, won a men's basketball national championship and played in a Women's College World Series.
Baylor also became the first Power 5 school to sweep the conference basketball championships in consecutive seasons.
The school has announced plans for a new basketball arena, the future Foster Pavilion, which is funded by the largest donation in school history and is part of a campaign Rhoades has helped lead. The school also soon plans to break ground on the Fudge Football Operations Center.
"Championship athletics is woven into the Baylor experience, and it's a key recruiting tool for prospective students, the engagement of current students and the positioning of our brand," Baylor president Linda Livingstone said in a statement. "Mack Rhoades has a deep commitment to Baylor's Christian mission. His personal and departmental alignment carries through in the development of our student-athletes in 'Preparing Champions for Life,' which provides a championship-level experience in academics, athletics, character formation and their spiritual growth.
"Mack's leadership has been nationally recognized over the past five-and-a-half years, and his name has been connected to several opportunities as of late. This new contract reaffirms that Baylor is where he wants to finish his career and continue the work on our four Athletics pillars. We look forward to Mack's continued success leading Baylor Athletics over the next decade."
The athletic department has led the Big 12 Conference for eight consecutive years in graduation success rate, with an overall score of 94, which is second in Texas and 14th in the Power 5 conferences. For 27-straight semesters, Baylor athletes have combined to maintain a 3.0-or-better term GPA.
"Our intent is for Baylor to be the last job that Mack Rhoades will have, and we are glad that he has trusted Baylor and has chosen to complete his career here," Baylor Board of Regents Chair Mark Rountree said in a statement. "We expect to share in more success with Mack, our coaches and student-athletes in the decade to come. Mack embodies who Baylor is as a Christian research university, and we appreciate his leadership of a successful athletics department that elevates Baylor's Christian mission and enhances the University's visibility across the country."
This is the second contract extension Rhoades has received since his arrival in Waco, after he received one in October 2019. Rhoades' coaching hires include Matt Rhule and Dave Aranda in football, Nicki Collen in women's basketball and the promotion of Michael Ford to head track and field coach upon Todd Harbour's retirement in the summer of 2021.
