Louisiana-Monroe signs football coach to 2-year extension

MONROE, La. (AP) - Louisiana-Monroe has signed its football coach to a 2-year contract extension that keeps him with the Warhawks through the 2022 season.

Athletics Director Scott McDonald said, in a news release, that the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System approved the new deal for Matt Viator on Thursday.

'œWe're fortunate to have Matt Viator at the helm of the ULM football program,'ť McDonald said. 'œHe is widely recognized as one of the top head coaches in the Sun Belt Conference. Our program has made great strides over the last four seasons, the last two years in particular, narrowly missing becoming bowl eligible in consecutive seasons."

Viator said he was grateful for the confidence that McDonald and the university has in him and the program. 'œOver the last four years, we've put a lot of time and effort into building a solid foundation for the program," he said.

Last season, the Warhawks finished 5-7, one win shy of becoming bowl eligible for the second straight year. Viator's record at Louisiana-Monroe is 19-29, 15-17 in the Sun Belt Conference, through four seasons. He went 78-33 in 10 seasons at McNeese State.