CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois athletics announced on Monday afternoon that University President Dr. William Perry has awarded a two-year contract extension to head men's basketball coach Mike Miller. The extension which was voted on by the EIU Board of Trustees in mid-January takes Miller's contract through the 2011-12 season.

Miller has guided the Panthers to a 12-11 record this season becoming the second quickest team in the NCAA Division I history of the program to reach ten wins in a season. This season EIU has already posted six road wins, the highest road win total for an EIU team since the 1998 season, and matched last year's win total of 12 with six regular season games remaining.

“We are very pleased with the direction that Coach Miller is taking our men's basketball program,” stated director of athletics Barbara Burke. “The men's team is currently battling to finish with its first winning season since 2001. The team is also poised to return many key contributors next season to continue building on the long Panther basketball tradition. Under Coach Miller's guidance the men's basketball team has been successful in the classroom and Eastern Illinois is not dealing with any APR issues that face many men's programs around the nation.”

EIU returns to action on Thursday night with a 8 p.m. contest against Morehead State that will be televised nationally on ESPNU. EIU is currently celebrating its 100th year of intercollegiate men's basketball with a year end celebration set for Feb. 26-27.