five Highest-Compensated Women's College Basketball Coaches
five Highest-Compensated Women's College Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Gals’s higher education basketball has found exponential growth in viewership, expertise, and competitiveness in the last ten years. With all the enhanced level of popularity and business results of your Activity, particularly in NCAA Division I packages, coaching salaries have risen to mirror the value and Management these major-tier coaches convey for their teams and universities. As universities carry on to invest of their Gals’s athletics departments, some standout coaches are reaping the fiscal rewards that include making powerhouse packages.
Right here’s a look at the 5 greatest-paid Gals’s higher education basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not just their impressive salaries but will also the achievements that justify their elite compensation.
one. Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Believed Yearly Income: $3.one million
Dawn Staley continues to generally be the gold typical in Ladies’s college basketball coaching. A former WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has built South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Since taking up This system in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to several NCAA Final Four appearances and two countrywide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she produced headlines by signing a historic seven-calendar year, $22.4 million agreement, making her the very best-compensated Black head coach in Girls's college basketball historical past. That offer has because been restructured and extended with performance incentives, putting her firmly at the best of the list.
2. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Approximated Once-a-year Income: $two.9 million
A residing legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to a jaw-dropping eleven nationwide titles. His tenure at UConn, which began in 1985, has transformed the program into One of the more dominant dynasties in college or university basketball background—Adult men's or Women of all ages’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and constant functionality have ensured valuable deal renewals. His current contract includes a base income, media obligations, clothing deals, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Tournament operates. While UConn has confronted recent difficulties with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management keep his benefit high.
three. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Point out College (LSU)
Estimated Once-a-year Income: $two.7 million
Right after a successful two-decade operate at Baylor, where by she received 3 national titles, Kim Mulkey stunned the basketball environment by signing up for LSU in 2021. In only her second season with the Tigers, she led them to the 2023 countrywide championship, bringing a whole new degree of excitement and Highlight to Baton Rouge.
Her substantial-profile arrival came with a lucrative eight-yr, $23.six million agreement, producing her certainly one of the best-paid out Ladies’s coaches at any time. Recognized for her passionate coaching fashion, flamboyant manner, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Gals's hoops.
4. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Estimated Once-a-year Salary: $one.4 million
Brenda Frese has quietly crafted a design of regularity at Maryland considering that taking over in 2002. With many conference championships, a countrywide 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 leading-tier expertise have made her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Section. Her current deal features bonuses for academic effectiveness, wins, and postseason good results—illustrating her twin determination to athletics and pupil progress.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford University
Estimated Yearly Income: $one.three million
Tara VanDerveer is not just considered one of the best-paid coaches but in addition the winningest mentor in NCAA Women of all ages's basketball background. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time acquire report and it has led Stanford to 3 national titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and numerous Last Four appearances.
Even though VanDerveer hasn't been one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are appropriately compensated. Her leadership, advancement of WNBA stars, and motivation to excellence have solidified her position Amongst the all-time greats in coaching record.
A Changing Landscape in Ladies's Basketball
The escalating salaries of those coaches are reflective on the rising level of popularity and economical viability of girls’s college or university basketball. Courses are attracting more countrywide Television set specials, ticket profits are raising, and company sponsors have become a lot more invested in Females's sports.
The increase in coaching salaries is not simply a sign of progress—it’s a recognition of your exertions, leadership, and achievement these coaches bring for their packages as well as the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
Even though these five coaches currently direct the way in which when it comes to earnings, several Many others are going up:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Each and every of such coaches has manufactured substantial strides with their respective programs and could crack to the leading 5 in the approaching several years as Ladies's basketball proceeds to expand.
Remaining Ideas
The times of underfunded Females’s courses and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not merely command high salaries—Additionally they mentor generations of athletes, condition the culture of their universities, and elevate Women of all ages’s basketball to new heights. Since the Activity continues to expand in popularity and assist, we can count on these salaries—as well as profiles of these leaders—to continue mounting.
Women’s M88 higher education basketball isn’t just keeping tempo—it’s placing the speed for the way forward for aggressive sports.