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NEW DEAL Washington signed a two-year contract extension in March. Her new pact ex- tends through the 2018-19 season. Photo by Patrick Mansell WOMEN'S BASKETBALL hroughout a di0cult season that would ultimately turn out to be the losingest in Penn State women's basketball his- tory, coach Coquese Washington made clear she was taking the long view. The team's di0culties – it .nished 14th in the Big Ten in scoring o/ense and 12th in scor- ing defense – were largely the result of having a freshman- and sophomore-laden roster, and while freshmen and sophomores make their share of mistakes, they even- tually become juniors and seniors. Following the season, it became clear that Penn State's athletic administration was thinking long-term, too. On March 19, a little over two weeks a1er Penn State ended its season with a 68-63 loss to Indiana in the .rst round of the Big Ten tournament, the university announced that it had given Washington a two-year contract extension. The new agreement extends her pact through the 2018-19 season. In announcing the extension, athletics director Sandy Barbour cited the team's on-court success prior to the 2014-15 season, its 100 percent graduation rate over the past .ve years, its commitment to community service and the likelihood that the on-court results will improve in the coming years with another blue-chip recruiting class set to enroll this summer. "There is signi.cant young talent that returns, and the four players who signed in November are a consensus top-15 re- cruiting class and the highest-rated class in program history," Barbour said in a pre- pared statement. "The program's future is very bright under Coquese's leadership, | T WASHINGTON'S PACT EXTENDED Contract will keep veteran coach on Lady Lions' sideline through 2018-19 season

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