five Highest-Compensated Women's School Basketball Coaches
five Highest-Compensated Women's School Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Females’s school basketball has witnessed exponential expansion in viewership, expertise, and competitiveness in the last 10 years. With all the enhanced level of popularity and business results with the Activity, particularly in NCAA Division I packages, coaching salaries have risen to mirror the value and leadership these prime-tier coaches carry to their teams and universities. As universities go on to speculate inside their Girls’s athletics departments, several standout coaches are reaping the economic rewards that include constructing powerhouse plans.
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 common in Ladies’s college or university basketball coaching. A former WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has crafted South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Since taking up This system in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to several NCAA Remaining 4 appearances and two countrywide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she built headlines by signing a historic seven-yr, $22.four million agreement, creating her the best-paid out Black head mentor in Females's college basketball heritage. That offer has given that been restructured and prolonged with overall performance incentives, placing her firmly at the best of this listing.
2. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Approximated Once-a-year Salary: $2.9 million
A living legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to the jaw-dropping 11 national titles. His tenure at UConn, which started in 1985, has reworked This system into Probably the most dominant dynasties in higher education basketball record—Males's or Girls’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and dependable overall performance have ensured profitable agreement renewals. His recent agreement features a base wage, media obligations, apparel bargains, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Match runs. Although UConn has faced latest issues with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership preserve his worth large.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana State University (LSU)
Believed Once-a-year Wage: $2.7 million
Following a successful two-decade operate at Baylor, where by she received 3 national titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball world by signing up for LSU in 2021. In only her 2nd season Using the Tigers, she led them to a 2023 countrywide championship, bringing a completely new stage of excitement and Highlight to Baton Rouge.
Her significant-profile arrival M88 arrived using a profitable eight-12 months, $23.6 million deal, generating her one among the highest-compensated Girls’s coaches ever. Noted for her passionate coaching style, flamboyant trend, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Females's hoops.
four. Brenda Frese – University of Maryland
Estimated Yearly Salary: $one.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly designed a model of regularity at Maryland given that taking over 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 two decades.
Her extensive-phrase effects and growth of top-tier talent have built her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Division. Her present-day deal involves bonuses for academic functionality, wins, and postseason success—illustrating her dual motivation to athletics and student growth.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Estimated Yearly Wage: $one.three million
Tara VanDerveer is not only one among the best-compensated coaches but also the winningest coach in NCAA Girls's basketball record. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time win document and has led Stanford to a few nationwide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and various Remaining Four appearances.
Whilst VanDerveer has not been just one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are correctly compensated. Her Management, development of WNBA stars, and commitment to excellence have solidified her location One of the all-time greats in coaching historical past.
A Transforming Landscape in Women of all ages's Basketball
The increasing salaries of these coaches are reflective of the expanding reputation and economic viability of ladies’s university basketball. Packages are attracting far more nationwide Television offers, ticket revenue are growing, and corporate sponsors are getting to be extra invested in Women of all ages's athletics.
The rise in coaching salaries is not just an indication of development—it’s a recognition in the hard work, Management, and results these coaches provide to their programs and the Activity as a whole.
Honorable Mentions
While these 5 coaches at the moment lead just how with regard to earnings, many Other individuals are on the rise:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Just about every of these coaches has made major strides with their respective plans and will break into your prime 5 in the coming decades as Girls's basketball continues to increase.
Last Feelings
The times of underfunded Girls’s programs and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not simply command high salaries—Additionally they mentor generations of athletes, condition the tradition in their universities, and elevate women’s basketball to new heights. Since the Activity continues to increase in popularity and assist, we can count on these salaries—as well as profiles of these leaders—to continue mounting.
Women’s university basketball isn’t just holding pace—it’s environment the tempo for the way forward for aggressive sporting activities.