BY BRENT KALLESTAD

ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--Florida State basketball coach Leonard Hamilton's contract was extended for two years yesterday, university President T.K. Wetherell said.

Hamilton, who is begins his sixth season at Florida State, is now under contract through the 2011-2012 season, the university said.

Financial details on the extension were not immediately available. Hamilton was paid $765,464 in 2006, state records show.

Hamilton has an 87-71 record at Florida State, a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Seminoles, who open their season Friday against Nicholls (La.) State, have won over 20 games in each of the past two seasons, but failed to reach the NCAA tournament either time.

However, Wetherell believes the program is pointed in the right direction despite not reaching the NCAA tournament since 1998.

"Coach Hamilton advocates winning not only on the basketball court but also in the classroom and in the game of life," said Wetherell. "Coach Hamilton is responsible for developing an exciting basketball program that is headed in the right direction. He builds winning basketball teams and young men of character."

Hamilton, 59, was brought in six years ago to rebuild a program that fell into disarray during Steve Robinson's five seasons as head coach.

"We are well on our way to becoming a program of significance in the ACC and nationally," Hamilton said. "The support makes an indisputable statement of the university s commitment to ACC basketball, our program and student-athletes at Florida State University."