five Maximum-Paid Girls's College Basketball Coaches
five Maximum-Paid Girls's College Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Ladies’s faculty basketball has seen exponential development in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past decade. With the elevated reputation and industrial good results on the Activity, specifically in NCAA Division I applications, coaching salaries have risen to reflect the worth and Management these prime-tier coaches carry to their groups and universities. As universities go on to take a position within their Females’s athletics departments, a couple of standout coaches are reaping the monetary benefits that include creating powerhouse applications.
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 Yearly Income: $3.one million
Dawn Staley continues to generally be the gold common in Females’s college basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has built 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 functionality incentives, positioning her firmly at the top of this listing.
two. Geno Auriemma – College of Connecticut
Estimated Annual Wage: $two.nine million
A dwelling legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to a jaw-dropping 11 nationwide titles. His tenure at UConn, which started in 1985, has reworked This system into one of the most dominant dynasties in college or university basketball heritage—men's or Females’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and dependable overall performance have ensured worthwhile agreement renewals. His latest deal features a foundation wage, media obligations, attire specials, and significant bonuses tied to NCAA Event operates. When UConn has confronted latest worries with accidents and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management continue to keep his benefit superior.
three. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Condition University (LSU)
Estimated Annual Income: $two.seven million
Soon after An effective two-10 years run at Baylor, exactly where she won a few nationwide 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 deal, earning her amongst the very best-paid out Females’s coaches ever. Noted for her passionate coaching model, flamboyant trend, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Females's hoops.
four. Brenda Frese – University of Maryland
Believed Yearly Income: $1.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly designed a model of regularity at Maryland considering that taking over M88 in 2002. With many conference championships, a countrywide title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Tournament appearances, Frese has retained the Terrapins in national competition for over 20 years.
Her long-expression influence and enhancement of best-tier expertise have produced her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Section. Her present offer includes bonuses for educational general performance, wins, and postseason good results—illustrating her twin commitment to athletics and college student enhancement.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford University
Approximated Once-a-year Income: $1.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not simply one of the highest-paid out coaches and also the winningest mentor in NCAA Ladies's basketball historical past. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time earn record and has led Stanford to three nationwide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and diverse Closing 4 appearances.
While VanDerveer has never been a single to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are properly compensated. Her Management, progress of WNBA stars, and determination to excellence have solidified her location among the all-time greats in coaching background.
A Shifting Landscape in Gals's Basketball
The expanding salaries of such coaches are reflective of your growing recognition and economic viability of women’s university basketball. Packages are attracting far more nationwide Television bargains, ticket product sales are escalating, and corporate sponsors are becoming 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 labor, Management, and achievements these coaches convey 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 Many others are going up:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Each and every of such coaches has manufactured considerable strides with their respective programs and will break in the leading 5 in the coming decades as Females's basketball carries on to improve.
Remaining Feelings
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. Given that the sport carries on to mature in reputation and aid, we are able to hope these salaries—as well as the profiles of those leaders—to carry on increasing.
Girls’s college basketball isn’t just retaining speed—it’s location the pace for the future of competitive athletics.