5 Best-Paid out Women's School Basketball Coaches
5 Best-Paid out Women's School Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Ladies’s college basketball has viewed exponential advancement in viewership, expertise, and competitiveness in the last ten years. Together with the amplified popularity and commercial achievement from the sport, especially in NCAA Division I applications, coaching salaries have risen to reflect the worth and Management these prime-tier coaches carry to their groups and universities. As universities go on to speculate inside their Females’s athletics departments, several standout coaches are reaping the monetary benefits that include creating powerhouse applications.
Here’s a think about the five highest-compensated Girls’s university basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not only their spectacular salaries and also the achievements that justify their elite compensation.
one. Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Believed Annual Income: $3.one million
Dawn Staley continues to generally be the gold typical in Females’s college basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has constructed South Carolina right into a perennial powerhouse. Given that taking on the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to many NCAA Last 4 appearances and two national championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she designed headlines by signing a historic 7-yr, $22.four million contract, generating her the highest-paid out Black head mentor in women's faculty basketball history. That deal has considering the fact that been restructured and extended with performance incentives, putting her firmly at the highest of the list.
2. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Believed Once-a-year Salary: $2.9 million
A residing legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to the jaw-dropping 11 national titles. His tenure at UConn, which started in 1985, has remodeled This system into Probably the most dominant dynasties in higher education basketball record—men's or Females’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and reliable performance have ensured profitable contract renewals. His recent agreement includes a base wage, media obligations, attire promotions, and significant bonuses tied to NCAA Tournament runs. Whilst UConn has faced latest issues with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership preserve his worth large.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana State College (LSU)
Believed Once-a-year Wage: $2.7 million
Right after a successful two-decade operate at Baylor, where she received a few nationwide titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball globe by joining LSU in 2021. In only her 2nd period With all the Tigers, she led them to some 2023 national championship, bringing a new amount of pleasure and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her high-profile arrival arrived that has a worthwhile 8-year, $23.six million contract, making her amongst the very M88 best-paid women’s coaches at any time. Known for her passionate coaching style, flamboyant vogue, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Girls's hoops.
4. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Estimated Yearly Salary: $one.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly designed a model of regularity at Maryland given that taking on in 2002. With a number of conference championships, a nationwide title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Tournament appearances, Frese has retained the Terrapins in national competition for more than 20 years.
Her long-expression impact and progress of best-tier expertise have created her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Office. Her recent offer contains bonuses for tutorial efficiency, wins, and postseason good results—illustrating her twin determination to athletics and pupil progress.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford University
Approximated Yearly Income: $one.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not merely amongst the highest-paid coaches but in addition the winningest mentor in NCAA women's basketball historical past. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time earn history and has led Stanford to three national titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and diverse Closing 4 appearances.
Though VanDerveer has never been a single to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are properly compensated. Her Management, progress of WNBA stars, and determination to excellence have solidified her place among the all-time greats in coaching background.
A Shifting Landscape in Gals's Basketball
The expanding salaries of such coaches are reflective of the growing reputation and economic viability of ladies’s higher education basketball. Systems are attracting extra countrywide Tv set specials, ticket gross sales are expanding, and company sponsors have gotten additional invested in Girls's athletics.
The rise in coaching salaries is not just an indication of progress—it’s a recognition in the labor, leadership, and achievements these coaches provide to their applications and also the Activity as a whole.
Honorable Mentions
Whilst these 5 coaches at the moment lead the way concerning earnings, quite a few Some others are increasing:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Each and every of such coaches has designed considerable strides with their respective applications and will break in the best five in the coming years as Gals's basketball continues to improve.
Last Views
The days of underfunded Gals’s applications and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches don't just command substantial salaries—In addition they mentor generations of athletes, shape the lifestyle of their universities, and elevate Girls’s basketball to new heights. As the sport carries on to mature in reputation and support, we will hope these salaries—as well as the profiles of such leaders—to continue growing.
Women of all ages’s university basketball isn’t just preserving pace—it’s environment the speed for the way forward for aggressive sports.