Bob Sundvold, the UMSL men’s basketball coach, has a 132-91 career record and was the GLVC Coach of the Year in 2020. (Photo courtesy: UMSL Athletics)

by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor

The University of Missouri-St. Louis athletics department announced on Tuesday, that it had signed head men’s basketball coach Bob Sundvold to a contract extension that will last through the 2024-2025 season.

Sundvold will be entering his ninth season as UMSL head coach and owns a 132-91 career record during that span. UMSL has had winning seasons in six of those eight years, including back-to-back 20-win campaigns in 2019 and 2020.

“Coach Sundvold has directed our men’s basketball program to new heights and has done it with class,” UMSL Director of Athletics Lori Flanagan said in a statement released by the UMSL athletics department. “We are proud to have him as our coach and look forward to continued success under his leadership.”

Sundvold’s best season was undoubtedly the 2019-2020 year, when he led UMSL to a 27-6 record – the best in program history – a share of the GLVC regular season title, a trip to the GLVC Tournament championship game, and a berth into the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

The Tritons have qualified for the postseason in all but one of Sundvold’s seasons as head coach, and nine players have earned All-GLVC honors during that time, including current standout guard Steve Webb, the GLVC’s reigning two-time Defensive Player of the Year.

“It is an honor to coach and be a part of the University,” Sundvold said. “I am grateful to Lori Flanagan and Chancellor (Kristin) Sobolik for their leadership and support of our program. Most important, has been the confidence and trust that our players have shown by returning and their continued pursuit in getting better each day.”

With fall classes beginning soon, the Tritons will be finishing their summer workouts this week. The team will then get two months off from practicing before beginning preseason training camp in October.

The regular season will begin in November, and the Tritons are hoping to build on last season’s Covid-shortened season, in which they went 13-6 and advanced to the GLVC Tournament semifinals for the second straight year.

“Our goal is to sustain excellence,” Sundvold said, “on and off the court and continue to compete at a high level.”