5 Best-Compensated Women's School Basketball Coaches
5 Best-Compensated Women's School Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Females’s faculty basketball has noticed exponential progress in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past decade. While using the elevated reputation and industrial good results in the sport, especially in NCAA Division I applications, coaching salaries have risen to reflect the worth and Management 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 rewards that include setting up powerhouse packages.
In this article’s a consider the five optimum-compensated Ladies’s college or university basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not simply their amazing salaries but also the achievements that justify their elite compensation.
one. Dawn Staley – College of South Carolina
Estimated Annual Wage: $3.1 million
Dawn Staley continues to generally be the gold typical in Females’s school 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 Last 4 appearances and two national championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she manufactured headlines by signing a historic seven-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 due to the fact been restructured and extended with effectiveness incentives, placing her firmly at the very best of the record.
two. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Approximated Yearly Income: $two.nine million
A living 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 the program into Just about the most dominant dynasties in college or university basketball history—Guys's or Gals’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and dependable overall performance have ensured beneficial deal renewals. His present-day deal features a foundation income, media obligations, clothing promotions, and significant bonuses tied to NCAA Event operates. Though UConn has confronted the latest challenges with accidents and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management continue to keep his benefit superior.
three. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Point out College (LSU)
Approximated Annual Salary: $two.seven million
Just after An effective two-ten years operate at Baylor, wherever she gained 3 national titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball world by signing up for LSU in 2021. In only her 2nd period With all the Tigers, she led them to some 2023 national championship, bringing a new amount of pleasure and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her high-profile arrival arrived by using a worthwhile 8-calendar year, $23.six million contract, making her amongst the very 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 consistency at Maryland considering the fact that taking up in 2002. With numerous meeting championships, a national title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Match appearances, Frese has stored the Terrapins in nationwide contention for more than two decades.
Her very long-phrase effects and growth of top-tier expertise have made her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Division. Her present-day deal features bonuses for academic effectiveness, wins, and postseason good results—illustrating her twin commitment to athletics and scholar improvement.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Believed Annual Salary: $1.three million
Tara VanDerveer is don't just 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 report and has led Stanford to three nationwide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and various Remaining 4 appearances.
Whilst VanDerveer has never been just M88 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 those coaches are reflective in the developing level of popularity and economic viability of ladies’s faculty basketball. Systems are attracting additional countrywide Tv set discounts, ticket income are rising, and company sponsors have gotten much more invested in women's sports activities.
The rise in coaching salaries is not just an indication of development—it’s a recognition on the labor, leadership, and success these coaches convey for their plans as well as the sport as a whole.
Honorable Mentions
Although these 5 coaches currently lead how with regard to earnings, various Other folks are on the rise:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Each of those coaches has produced significant strides with their respective systems and could crack in to the top five in the approaching several years as Ladies's basketball continues to mature.
Final Views
The times of underfunded Girls’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 carries on to mature in reputation and aid, we are able to hope these salaries—as well as the profiles of such leaders—to carry on increasing.
Girls’s college basketball isn’t just trying to keep speed—it’s location the pace for the future of competitive athletics.