5 Best-Compensated Women's Higher education Basketball Coaches
5 Best-Compensated Women's Higher education Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Ladies’s faculty basketball has noticed exponential progress in viewership, expertise, and competitiveness in the last 10 years. Using the improved acceptance and commercial good results in the sport, especially in NCAA Division I applications, coaching salaries have risen to reflect the worth and leadership these prime-tier coaches deliver to their groups and universities. As universities go on to take a position within their Females’s athletics departments, a number of standout coaches are reaping the money rewards that include making powerhouse packages.
Listed here’s a look at the 5 maximum-paid Women of all ages’s faculty basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not merely their extraordinary salaries but also the achievements that justify their elite payment.
1. Dawn Staley – College of South Carolina
Estimated Once-a-year Salary: $three.1 million
Dawn Staley proceeds for being the gold standard in Gals’s university basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has created South Carolina right into a perennial powerhouse. Considering that taking over the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to multiple NCAA Ultimate 4 appearances and two national championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she built headlines by signing a historic 7-12 months, $22.four million contract, building her the highest-paid out Black head mentor in Ladies's faculty basketball background. That offer has since been restructured and extended with general performance incentives, putting her firmly at the best of the list.
2. Geno Auriemma – College of Connecticut
Believed Once-a-year Salary: $2.9 million
A residing legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to the jaw-dropping eleven national titles. His tenure at UConn, which began in 1985, has remodeled This system into Among the most dominant dynasties in university basketball heritage—men's or Ladies’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and regular general performance have ensured profitable agreement renewals. His existing agreement includes a base salary, media obligations, clothing offers, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Tournament runs. While UConn has faced recent difficulties with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership keep his value higher.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Point out College (LSU)
Approximated Yearly Salary: $two.seven million
Just after A prosperous two-10 years run at Baylor, in which she won three countrywide titles, Kim Mulkey stunned the basketball entire world by becoming a member of LSU in 2021. In just her next year Along with the Tigers, she led them to your 2023 nationwide championship, bringing a fresh level of pleasure and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her higher-profile arrival arrived which has M88 a beneficial 8-year, $23.six million contract, making her one of the 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 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 saved the Terrapins in national rivalry for over 20 years.
Her lengthy-expression influence and enhancement of best-tier expertise have created her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Office. Her recent offer consists of bonuses for tutorial overall performance, wins, and postseason results—illustrating her dual motivation to athletics and university student advancement.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Believed Annual Wage: $one.three million
Tara VanDerveer is not only one among the highest-compensated coaches but also the winningest coach in NCAA Girls's basketball heritage. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time win document and has led Stanford to a few nationwide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and diverse Remaining 4 appearances.
Whilst VanDerveer has never been one particular 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 spot 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 from the developing acceptance and fiscal viability of ladies’s faculty basketball. Systems are attracting additional countrywide Tv set discounts, ticket profits are raising, and corporate sponsors have become a lot more invested in Ladies's sports.
The increase in coaching salaries is not simply an indication of development—it’s a recognition on the labor, leadership, and achievements these coaches convey to their applications and also the Activity as a whole.
Honorable Mentions
Whilst these 5 coaches at this time direct the way concerning earnings, various Other individuals are on the rise:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Each individual of those coaches has made sizeable strides with their respective packages and could split into the top rated five in the approaching 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 not simply command higher salaries—In addition they mentor generations of athletes, shape the tradition in their universities, and elevate Ladies’s basketball to new heights. As being the sport continues to improve in recognition and guidance, we can assume these salaries—and the profiles of those leaders—to carry on soaring.
Ladies’s faculty basketball isn’t just keeping tempo—it’s placing the rate for the way forward for competitive sports.