5 Greatest-Paid Women's College Basketball Coaches
5 Greatest-Paid Women's College Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Women’s school basketball has viewed exponential advancement in viewership, talent, and competitiveness in the last ten years. Together with the amplified popularity and commercial achievement from the sport, specifically in NCAA Division I programs, coaching salaries have risen to replicate the worth and leadership these best-tier coaches deliver to their groups and universities. As universities continue on to take a position within their Ladies’s athletics departments, a couple of standout coaches are reaping the financial benefits that include creating powerhouse applications.
Here’s a think about the five highest-compensated Females’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 Yearly Income: $3.one million
Dawn Staley carries on to 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 various NCAA Ultimate 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 best-paid Black head coach in Women of all ages's higher education basketball history. That deal has considering the fact that been restructured and extended with general performance incentives, placing her firmly at the highest of the record.
2. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Approximated Once-a-year Salary: $2.9 million
A residing legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to your jaw-dropping eleven national titles. His tenure at UConn, which began in 1985, has remodeled This system into one of the most dominant dynasties in university basketball background—Adult men's or women’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and constant functionality have ensured lucrative contract renewals. His existing agreement includes a base salary, 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 hold his worth substantial.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana State University (LSU)
Believed Once-a-year Income: $two.7 million
Right after An effective two-decade run at Baylor, where she received 3 nationwide 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 spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her superior-profile arrival arrived using a profitable eight-12 months, $23.6 million deal, generating her among the highest-paid out Females’s coaches ever. Recognized for her passionate coaching design, flamboyant fashion, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Women of all ages's hoops.
4. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Approximated Once-a-year Wage: $one.4 million
Brenda Frese has quietly built a design of consistency at Maryland due to the fact taking over in 2002. With various convention championships, a countrywide title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Tournament appearances, Frese has saved the Terrapins in national rivalry for over twenty years.
Her extended-term affect and improvement of top rated-tier talent have designed her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic department. Her recent offer contains bonuses for tutorial functionality, wins, and postseason success—illustrating her dual motivation to athletics and student advancement.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Estimated Annual Wage: $one.three million
Tara VanDerveer is not only among the very best-compensated coaches but also the winningest coach in NCAA Girls's basketball record. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time win file and it has led Stanford to a few countrywide M88 titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and various Final Four appearances.
Whilst VanDerveer has not been just one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are appropriately compensated. Her leadership, advancement of WNBA stars, and dedication 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 these coaches are reflective in the developing acceptance and money viability of girls’s college or university basketball. Courses are attracting extra countrywide Tv set specials, ticket profits are raising, and corporate sponsors have become much more invested in Ladies's sports.
The increase in coaching salaries is not simply a sign of development—it’s a recognition of your exertions, leadership, and success these coaches bring for their plans as well as the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
Although these five coaches now direct the way in which when it comes to earnings, several Some others are rising:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Just about every of these coaches has built major strides with their respective plans and will break into your prime 5 in the coming decades as Girls's basketball continues to increase.
Final Feelings
The times of underfunded Girls’s programs and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not simply command higher 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 expand in popularity and assist, we can easily count on these salaries—as well as profiles of these leaders—to continue mounting.
Women’s higher education basketball isn’t just holding pace—it’s environment the speed for the way forward for aggressive sporting activities.