five Best-Compensated Women's Higher education Basketball Coaches
five Best-Compensated Women's Higher education Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Girls’s higher education basketball has seen exponential development in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past decade. While using the elevated acceptance and industrial accomplishment on the Activity, particularly in NCAA Division I packages, coaching salaries have risen to replicate the value and leadership these prime-tier coaches carry to their groups and universities. As universities continue on to take a position within their Gals’s athletics departments, a handful of standout coaches are reaping the money benefits that come with building powerhouse courses.
Below’s a consider the five maximum-paid out Ladies’s school basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not only their outstanding salaries but in addition the achievements that justify their elite compensation.
one. Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Approximated Annual Wage: $3.one million
Dawn Staley continues being the gold normal in women’s faculty basketball coaching. A former WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has designed South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Considering the fact that taking over This system in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to numerous NCAA Closing Four appearances and two nationwide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she made headlines by signing a historic 7-calendar year, $22.4 million agreement, making her the very best-compensated Black head mentor in Females's college or university basketball background. That offer has because been restructured and extended with overall performance incentives, inserting her firmly at the best of this checklist.
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 your jaw-dropping eleven countrywide titles. His tenure at UConn, which began in 1985, has transformed the program into Among the most dominant dynasties in college basketball historical past—Adult men's or Women of all ages’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and constant functionality have ensured valuable deal renewals. His current contract includes a base salary, media obligations, apparel offers, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Tournament runs. Whilst UConn has faced latest problems with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership maintain his worth large.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana State College (LSU)
Believed Yearly Wage: $2.7 million
After A prosperous two-ten years operate at Baylor, the place she gained 3 nationwide titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the M88 basketball planet by joining LSU in 2021. In just her next year Along with the Tigers, she led them to your 2023 countrywide championship, bringing a different stage of excitement and Highlight to Baton Rouge.
Her high-profile arrival arrived which has a beneficial 8-year, $23.six million agreement, creating her one of the best-paid women’s coaches at any time. Known for her passionate coaching design and 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 due to the fact taking up in 2002. With multiple convention championships, a national title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Match appearances, Frese has kept the Terrapins in nationwide rivalry for over twenty years.
Her extended-time period affect and development of top rated-tier talent have manufactured her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Office. Her existing offer consists of bonuses for educational overall performance, wins, and postseason results—illustrating her dual dedication to athletics and scholar development.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford University
Believed Once-a-year Salary: $1.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not simply one of the highest-paid out coaches but will also the winningest mentor in NCAA Females'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 Closing 4 appearances.
While VanDerveer has never been one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are properly compensated. Her Management, improvement of WNBA stars, and motivation to excellence have solidified her put among the all-time greats in coaching heritage.
A Modifying Landscape in Women of all ages's Basketball
The raising salaries of such coaches are reflective of the expanding recognition and monetary viability of girls’s university basketball. Packages are attracting far more nationwide Tv set discounts, ticket profits are raising, and company sponsors have become a lot more invested in Females's sports activities.
The increase in coaching salaries is not merely an indication of progress—it’s a recognition from the hard work, Management, and success these coaches deliver for their programs and the Activity in general.
Honorable Mentions
Though these five coaches presently guide the way in terms of earnings, a number of Other people are rising:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Just about every of those coaches has made sizeable strides with their respective packages and could split into the top rated five in the approaching a long time as Women of all ages's basketball carries on to grow.
Closing Thoughts
The days of underfunded women’s packages and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not only command significant salaries—they also mentor generations of athletes, form the society of their universities, and elevate Girls’s basketball to new heights. As the sport carries on to grow in level of popularity and assistance, we could expect these salaries—along with the profiles of such leaders—to carry on increasing.
Gals’s school basketball isn’t just trying to keep rate—it’s setting the pace for the future of competitive athletics.