Tony Skinn earns contract extension through 2031-32 season

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George Mason University Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics Marvin Lewis has announced a two-year contract extension for men's basketball head coach Tony Skinn, BA Communication '06, through the 2031-32 season.

Skinn is the first coach in school history to lead his teams to three-straight 20-win seasons. Photo by George Mason Athletics

The 2025 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year and architect of George Mason's first A-10 championship team, Skinn has put together the best start to a coaching career in school history and cemented himself as one of the top young coaches in the nation.

He's set new program bests for overall wins (70), league wins (35), overall winning percentage (.693) and league winning percentage (.648) for a Patriot coach over his first three campaigns. What's more, Skinn's 69.3 overall winning percentage ranks 17th nationally among current Division I head coaches with at least 3 seasons at the helm.

"Tony represents everything we value in George Mason men's basketball and in our broader athletics program," said Lewis. "In just three seasons, he has elevated our competitive standard, delivered sustained success on the court, and built a culture rooted in accountability, player development, and integrity. This extension reflects our confidence in Tony's vision, his leadership, and his commitment to continuing to position George Mason as a nationally respected program. We're excited about what lies ahead for Patriot basketball under his direction."

Skinn is the first coach in school history to lead his teams to three-straight 20-win seasons. The fastest bench boss to 50 wins in program annals, Skinn has guided the Patriots to two consecutive NIT appearances, marking the first time since 2007-09 the program has reached back-to-back postseasons (NCAA or NIT). George Mason is one of just three A-10 programs during Skinn's tenure to finish in the NET top-100 all three seasons.

"This extension is a testament to what our staff and players have built together while bringing the vision of Patriot Pressure to life," Skinn said. "We've set a strong foundation over these past three years and will continue to elevate our collective standard. I'm grateful to our fans and administration who have invested in this program and understand what it takes to compete at the national level. The best is yet to come."

Tony Skinn has been instrumental in the development of dynamic players who have brought his Patriot Pressure vision to life. Photo by George Mason Athletics

As head coach, Skinn has mentored five All-A-10 selections, four NABC All-District picks and the 2025 Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year.

Skinn is a two-time finalist for the Ben Jobe Award, given annually to the nation's top minority head coach.

In 2025-26, he guided the Patriots to the program's best-ever overall (18-1) and A-10 (6-0) starts. Team 60 became the fastest in school history to reach 20 victories (22), shattering the previous mark of 25. Despite returning just 3% of the previous season's scoring output and losing Preseason All-A-10 First Team selection Brayden O'Connor to a season-ending injury in the first game of the campaign, the men's team reached 23 overall victories and received a berth in the NIT. George Mason earned home wins over three NCAA Tournament Teams (#25/24 Saint Louis, VCU, Penn) and the Patriots were the only school in the A-10 to defeat the top-3 programs in the league standings. The 29-point win over the Billikens marked the 14th-largest margin of victory by an unranked team over a ranked program since the AP poll began in 1949.

After the 2024-25 season, Skinn was named a national finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award, which recognizes the Division I head coach who wins with integrity both on and off the court. He also garnered VaSID Virginia Coach of the Year accolades at the conclusion of the Patriots' historic season.

George Mason's elite Patriot Pressure defense ranked in the top-25 nationally in 2024-25 and the Patriots ranked third in the country in field goal defense. The team's cumulative field goal defense marked a George Mason school record while its 3-point defense was second best all time.

Skinn has been instrumental in the development of dynamic players who have brought his Patriot Pressure vision to life. Senior Jared Billups became George Mason's first conference Defensive Player of the Year since 2001 and was a finalist for the Lefty Driesell Award in 2025, given to the nation's top defensive player. Jalen Haynes earned NABC All-District First Team honors in 2024-25 and was just the second All-A-10 First Team pick in school history. Both Kory Mincy and Riley Allenspach garnered All-A-10 Second Team honors in 2025-26. With Haynes and Darius Maddox also being named All-A-10 in 2024-25, it marked the first time since 2008-09 the Patriots had multiple non-conference selections in back-to-back seasons.

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