LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty University and men’s basketball coach Ritchie McKay have agreed to a contract extension that runs through the 2031-32 season.
The extension follows a strong 2025-26 campaign for the Flames. Liberty finished 26-8 overall and 17-3 in Conference USA play, capturing its second consecutive regular-season title. The Flames won the league by four games and opened conference play with a 15-0 record. The team also set a program record with 17 straight wins from Dec. 16 through Feb. 19.
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McKay was named the 2025-26 Conference USA Gene Bartow Co-Coach of the Year, marking his fourth career conference coach of the year honor. He was also one of 20 finalists for the 2025-26 Jim Phelan Award, presented annually to the top head coach in Division I men’s basketball.
In addition, McKay was a finalist for the 2025-26 Hugh Durham Award and the 2025-26 Ben Jobe Award.
McKay is the winningest coach in Liberty program history, compiling 298 victories over 13 seasons in Lynchburg. The Flames have recorded nine 20-win seasons in the past 10 years, including five seasons with at least 25 wins and a program-record 30 victories in 2019-20.
Over the past eight seasons, Liberty has won four conference tournament titles and seven regular-season or division championships. The program’s 11 titles during that span are tied for the most nationally. The Flames have also posted 203 victories over that stretch, tied for sixth most in the country, and a .755 winning percentage (203-66), which ranks fourth among Division I teams.
McKay has led Liberty to nine postseason appearances, including four trips to the NCAA Tournament, along with two National Invitation Tournament appearances and three CollegeInsider.com Tournament berths.