5 Highest-Compensated Ladies's Faculty Basketball Coaches
5 Highest-Compensated Ladies's Faculty Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Ladies’s college or university basketball has noticed exponential development in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past decade. While using the increased reputation and industrial good results in the sport, especially in NCAA Division I plans, coaching salaries have risen to reflect the worth and Management these prime-tier coaches carry to their teams 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 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 Annual Income: $3.one million
Dawn Staley continues to generally be the gold common in women’s college basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has constructed South Carolina right into a perennial powerhouse. Because taking on the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to many NCAA Last 4 appearances and two countrywide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she manufactured headlines by signing a historic seven-yr, $22.four million deal, producing her the best-paid Black head coach in Women of all ages's university basketball record. That deal has considering that been restructured and prolonged with effectiveness incentives, positioning her firmly at the very best of this listing.
two. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Estimated Yearly Wage: $two.nine million
A dwelling legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to some jaw-dropping 11 nationwide titles. His tenure at UConn, which commenced in 1985, has reworked This system into Just about the most dominant dynasties in faculty basketball history—Males's or Girls’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and dependable overall performance have ensured rewarding agreement renewals. His latest deal features a foundation wage, media obligations, attire discounts, and significant bonuses tied to NCAA Match runs. Even though UConn has confronted new troubles with accidents and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management retain his price superior.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana State University (LSU)
Approximated Yearly Wage: $2.7 million
Following a successful two-decade operate at Baylor, exactly where she won a few countrywide titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball planet by joining LSU in 2021. In only her next year Together with the Tigers, she led them into a 2023 national championship, bringing a brand new amount of pleasure and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her higher-profile arrival arrived that has a worthwhile 8-calendar year, $23.six million contract, earning her amongst the very best-paid Women of M88 all ages’s coaches ever. Known for her passionate coaching design and style, flamboyant vogue, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Females's hoops.
four. Brenda Frese – University of Maryland
Believed Yearly Salary: $1.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly created 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 saved the Terrapins in nationwide rivalry for over twenty years.
Her extended-time period effect and development of top rated-tier expertise have manufactured her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Office. Her recent offer contains bonuses for tutorial overall performance, wins, and postseason achievements—illustrating her dual dedication to athletics and university student improvement.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Estimated Annual Wage: $one.three million
Tara VanDerveer is not only one among the best-paid out coaches and also the winningest coach in NCAA Gals's basketball background. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time acquire history and has led Stanford to three nationwide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and diverse Closing 4 appearances.
Whilst VanDerveer has not been just one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are correctly compensated. Her leadership, advancement of WNBA stars, and motivation to excellence have solidified her position Amongst the all-time greats in coaching history.
A Modifying Landscape in Girls's Basketball
The raising salaries of such coaches are reflective of your growing reputation and economic viability of ladies’s higher education basketball. Courses are attracting extra countrywide Television set specials, ticket gross sales are expanding, and company sponsors have gotten a lot more invested in Females's sports activities.
The rise in coaching salaries is not merely an indication of progress—it’s a recognition from the hard work, Management, and results these coaches carry to their programs and the Activity as a whole.
Honorable Mentions
While these 5 coaches at the moment lead the way concerning earnings, various Other folks are on the rise:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Each of such coaches has created significant strides with their respective systems and could crack in to the major five in the approaching a long time as women's basketball carries on to grow.
Closing Thoughts
The times of underfunded women’s systems and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not just command superior salaries—they also mentor generations of athletes, form the culture of their universities, and elevate Women of all ages’s basketball to new heights. Because the Activity proceeds to expand in attractiveness and assist, we can easily count on these salaries—as well as profiles of these leaders—to continue mounting.
Women’s college or university basketball isn’t just maintaining pace—it’s placing the rate for the way forward for competitive sports activities.