five Highest-Paid Ladies's Higher education Basketball Coaches
five Highest-Paid Ladies's Higher education Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Ladies’s faculty basketball has seen exponential development in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past ten years. Together with the greater attractiveness and professional achievements of the Activity, specifically in NCAA Division I systems, coaching salaries have risen to mirror the value and leadership these top-tier coaches bring for their teams and universities. As universities proceed to invest in their Women of all ages’s athletics departments, a handful of standout coaches are reaping the money rewards that come with setting up powerhouse systems.
Listed here’s a look at the five optimum-paid out Females’s school basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing don't just 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 crafted South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Considering the fact that taking up This system in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to several NCAA Remaining Four appearances and two nationwide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she produced headlines by signing a historic seven-calendar year, $22.4 million agreement, making her the very best-compensated Black head coach in Girls's school basketball heritage. That offer has given that been restructured and prolonged with overall performance incentives, inserting her firmly at the best of this checklist.
two. Geno Auriemma – College of Connecticut
Believed 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 Probably the most dominant dynasties in higher education basketball heritage—men's or Females’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and constant effectiveness have ensured profitable contract renewals. His existing agreement includes a base wage, media obligations, apparel bargains, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Match runs. Although UConn has faced latest issues with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership preserve his worth large.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana State College (LSU)
Believed Yearly Wage: $2.7 million
After a successful two-decade operate at Baylor, where by she received 3 nationwide titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball world by signing up for LSU in 2021. In only her 2nd season Using the Tigers, she led them to a 2023 countrywide championship, bringing a different degree of excitement and Highlight to Baton Rouge.
Her substantial-profile arrival came having a lucrative eight-yr, $23.six million agreement, producing her certainly one of the best-paid out Ladies’s coaches at any time. Recognized for her passionate coaching style, flamboyant manner, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Girls's hoops.
4. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Estimated Yearly Salary: $one.4 million
Brenda Frese has quietly designed a model of regularity at Maryland given that taking over in 2002. With multiple convention championships, a countrywide title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Match appearances, Frese has saved the Terrapins in nationwide rivalry for over 20 years.
Her lengthy-expression influence and enhancement of best-tier expertise have produced her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Section. Her current deal features bonuses for academic effectiveness, wins, and postseason achievement—illustrating her twin determination to athletics and pupil progress.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford University
Estimated Yearly Wage: $one.three million
Tara VanDerveer is not only one among the best-compensated coaches but additionally the winningest coach in NCAA Gals's basketball record. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time get file and it has led Stanford to a few countrywide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and various Remaining Four appearances.
Whilst VanDerveer has never been M88 one particular to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are correctly compensated. Her Management, enhancement of WNBA stars, and determination to excellence have solidified her location among the all-time greats in coaching background.
A Shifting Landscape in Girls's Basketball
The raising salaries of such coaches are reflective of your escalating popularity and monetary viability of women’s school basketball. Applications are attracting much more national TV deals, ticket gross sales are expanding, and company sponsors have gotten far more invested in Girls's sports activities.
The rise in coaching salaries is not merely an indication of progress—it’s a recognition of the effort, leadership, and good results these coaches deliver for their systems along with the sport in general.
Honorable Mentions
Even though these 5 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 substantial strides with their respective courses and could crack to the top 5 in the approaching several years as Ladies's basketball proceeds to develop.
Closing Ideas
The times of underfunded Ladies’s systems and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not just 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 proceeds to grow in level of popularity and assistance, we will expect these salaries—as well as the profiles of such leaders—to carry on increasing.
Girls’s college basketball isn’t just retaining speed—it’s location the rate for the future of aggressive sports.