The board approved a two-year contract extension for Larry Hunter, head coach of the men’s Catamount basketball team since April 2005. Hunter’s employment agreement is extended through April 2012. His Catamounts won their first Southern Conference tournament game in five years this past season, and he is bringing in a recruiting class of six players to join a squad that includes all-conference selection Nick Aldridge.

The board also approved a three-year contract extension for Kellie Jolly Harper, head coach of the Lady Catamounts since April 2004. The contract extension, which also goes through April 2012, comes after Harper coached WCU to a regular season Southern Conference championship. The Lady Cats hosted their first-ever Women’s National Invitational Tournament game in a season that saw the nation’s biggest turn-around over the previous year.

“We are firmly committed to two of the most talented coaches in college basketball,” said Chip Smith, director of athletics at Western. “The university wants to demonstrate that commitment and help them continue to build both of our basketball programs, which have made significant progress under their leadership.”