The NCAA Tournament offers thrills, chills, a glimpse at the future stars and plenty of job opportunities. Mid-major miracles can mean a whole new tax bracket for coaches whose name might have been unknown to most of the public before March Madness started. Florida Atlantic men's basketball head coach Dusty May firmly fits that bill.

He does not, however, view the Boca Raton-based University as a mere stepping stone. At least not right now. In the midst of a momentous Final Four run with the Owls, May has decided to sign a new contract to remain Florida Atlantic's head coach.

“I love it here. I love our players, I love our staff and the only thing I've been focused on since the beginning was doing the best job for our team,” May told Matt Norlander of CBS Sports. “I was doing my job, and I never had any intent of leaving.”

Dusty May has unfinished business in Florida Atlantic

At this rate, fans will want a Dusty May statue immediately constructed outside Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena. He has led the Owls to a winning season every year since he became head coach in 2018. The 2022-23 campaign has been a supernova, though. Florida Atlantic dominated Conference USA in both the regular season and postseason, amassing a sensational 35-3 record en route to mowing through the East Region in the NCAA Tournament.

The Owls barely survived Memphis before ending Fairleigh Dickinson's fairy-tale run. They also obstructed what could have been a pretty clear path to the Final Four for both Tennessee and Kansas State. Now, they get the defensive powerhouse San Diego State on Saturday night for a chance at sports immortality. May is probably not worried about making a good impression on potential employers. He is dialed in.

“The most attractive thing about FAU is that it's ours,” May said. “We've built our identity, we've built amazing team culture and those are the things most important to me.”

The college basketball world could be witnessing the next great coach, whose sheer impact elevates a mid-major program into its own lucrative destination a la Mark Few at Gonzaga. A national championship would prevent anyone from using the term “stepping stone” to describe Florida Atlantic basketball ever again.