Temple women's basketball coach Dawn Staley has signed a 5-year contract extension, director of athletics Bill Bradshaw announced yesterday.

The agreement extends through the 2006-07 season.

"I'm pleased that the administration and the athletic department have given me the opportunity to continue what we started here at Temple," Staley said in a statement.

"The contract extension represents the level of commitment Temple has to building a winning tradition in women's basketball."

Staley was named Big 5 Coach of the Year (2001-02) after Temple won the Big 5 championship, its first Atlantic 10 championship and made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1989. Staley, who plays for the WNBA's Charlotte Sting, starred at Dobbins Tech High (1986-88) and was a three-time All-America while at the University of Virginia (1989-92), where she helped lead the team to a 110-21 record.