UCF extends coach Johnny Dawkins after earning NCAA tournament berth
Johnny Dawkins has occupied a hot seat for a couple of years now, but he secured a new deal after breaking through with a tournament berth in 2026.
An embattled Big 12 coach is set to return on a new deal after guiding his team to the NCAA tournament. UCF coach Johnny Dawkins has been on a hot seat for a couple of years now, but the Knights broke through this season in their third campaign since moving to the power conference level. Now, he has reportedly agreed to a new deal with the school, according to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein.
The terms of Dawkins' new deal are not yet known. Dawkins, who was previously the head coach at Stanford for nine seasons, has been the head man in Orlando since 2016. The Knights reached the Round of 32 under Dawkins in 2019, but they had missed five straight NCAA tournaments before this season.
Sources: UCF's Johnny Dawkins will receive a contract extension after leading the Knights to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. Official terms of the deal are still TBD. — Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 24, 2026 UCF ultimately finished 21-12 (9-9 Big 12), tying for seventh in the conference and earning a No.
10 seed in the tournament. The Knights were ultimately bounced by UCLA 75-71 in the opening round. Still, that was enough for Dawkins — who is 62 — to cool off his seat in a pivotal year and earn a new deal at UCF.