Florida State working on extension for Hamilton

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- After guiding Florida State to its best season in 16 years, Leonard Hamilton will be offered a contract extension that school officials said Tuesday would make him a "happy camper."

Florida State president T.K. Wetherell and athletic director Randy Spetman acknowledged that they were working on an extension for Hamilton they hope to get signed after the season.

"I'm convinced Leonard will be back at Florida State and be a happy, happy, happy camper," Wetherell said. "I don't see Leonard going anywhere. I can see a number of people ters returning along with several key substitutes from the school's most successful team since 1992-93.

The Seminoles have a 25-9 record going into NCAA tournament play Friday against Wisconsin in a first-round game at Boise, Idaho.

When asked about his contract status, Hamilton said it's been his longstanding policy to not comment on those issues.

Hamilton took over a program in shambles in 2002 and has led the Seminoles to three 20-win seasons in the past four years, getting the school back to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 11 seasons.

Florida State was 37-72 in the four years prior to Hamilton's arrival and just 19-45 in ACC competition under former coach Steve Robinson, who is now an assistant at North Carolina.

Hamilton, 60, is 131-95 in seven season sat Florida State as he heads for tournament play Friday. He was a runaway winner as the Atlantic Coast Conference coach of the year after the Seminoles finished fourth with a 10-6 record. They were a preseason pick to finish 10th.

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