Contract extended for Arkansas volleyball coach

Arkansas volleyball coach Jason Watson is shown during practice Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, in Fayetteville.

— The contract for Arkansas volleyball coach Jason Watson has been extended through the 2021 season.

Watson is in his fifth season as the Razorbacks' coach and has a record of 56-70 at Arkansas. He previously coached 11 combined seasons at Arizona State and his alma mater BYU, and has a career record of 256-218.

Watson's contract extension was effective Aug. 31, 2020, but was not finalized until September. The extension was discovered through an open records request.

Watson's initial contract with the Razorbacks was set to expire Dec. 31.

The Razorbacks are off to their best start under Watson after going 6-2 during a modified fall season against only SEC opponents. Among Arkansas' wins were a two-match sweep of then-No. 14 Texas A&M on Nov. 13-14 at Barnhill Arena.

The Razorbacks received 23 votes but were unranked in the final coaches' poll of the fall.

Arkansas is scheduled to play at least 16 more matches during a spring season that is set to begin Jan. 29 against No. 4 Kentucky at Barnhill Arena. The Wildcats (8-0) were the league's only undefeated team during the fall and are two games ahead of a three-way tie for second place between Arkansas, Florida and Missouri.

In Watson's first four seasons Arkansas had a combined conference record of 26-46. The Razorbacks were 5-13 in SEC play the previous two seasons.

With Watson's extension, all 15 head coaches at Arkansas have either received a contract extension or been hired since Hunter Yurachek was hired as the Razorbacks' athletics director in December 2017.