DePaul extends men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann’s contract through 2031

DePaul and men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann agreed on a contract extension through 2031, the school announced Tuesday.

Holtmann enters his third season with the Blue Demons with a 30-36 record in Chicago. He took over a program that went 3-29 and 0-20 in the Big East in 2023-24. Last season, DePaul finished 16-16 and 8-12 in conference play. The sixth-place finish was its best since joining the Big East in 2005.

In the offseason, the Blue Demons drew the 44th-ranked transfer portal class, according to 247Sports.

Holtmann said in a statement that he believes in a “shared vision” for the program with athletic director DeWayne Peevy and DePaul President Robert Manuel.

“We came here to work and to help build something we can all be proud of — together,” he said. “These first two years have been filled with both challenges and really exciting moments as we fight to rebuild this program. We know continuing to move this forward won’t be easy, but we embrace the challenges ahead. Our family has really enjoyed Chicago and we love our fans and the DePaul community, as well as the mission of DePaul. We look forward to continuing to build this together.”

Holtmann joined DePaul in the spring of 2024 with 13 seasons of head coaching experience, including the previous seven at Ohio State. He originally signed a six-year contract with DePaul.

Along with the improved record, DePaul noted that since Holtmann’s arrival, it has had the biggest attendance growth in the Big East, including a 118% increase in student attendance. He was also named the 2026 Skip Prosser Man of the Year, awarded by College Insider to a coach who “wins with integrity on and off the court.”

Peevy said in a statement that Holtmann “has demonstrated the leadership, vision and program-building ability required to position DePaul for sustained success in the Big East.”

“This extension reflects both what Chris has already accomplished and our confidence in where he is taking this program,” Peevy said. “In two seasons, he has rebuilt the competitive foundation of DePaul men’s basketball, restored belief in the program and elevated our visibility locally and nationally. Just as importantly, that progress has strengthened student engagement, energized our fan base and created meaningful momentum for the University.”

DePaul recently broke ground on a new $42.4 million athletics practice facility in Lincoln Park.