five Greatest-Paid Females's College Basketball Coaches
five Greatest-Paid Females's College Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Women’s faculty basketball has seen exponential development in viewership, talent, and competitiveness in the last 10 years. With the greater attractiveness and commercial good results in the sport, especially 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 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 Girls’s university basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not only their impressive 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 Ladies’s college or university basketball coaching. A former WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has crafted South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Since 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 7-calendar year, $22.4 million agreement, making her the very best-compensated Black head mentor in Females's college or university basketball historical past. That offer has since been restructured and extended with overall performance incentives, inserting her firmly at the best of the 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 national titles. His tenure at UConn, which began in 1985, has remodeled This system into one of the most dominant dynasties in university basketball heritage—Gentlemen's or Ladies’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and consistent overall performance have ensured rewarding deal renewals. His recent deal includes a base salary, media obligations, attire offers, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Event runs. Though UConn has confronted recent challenges with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and Management keep his value high.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Point out College (LSU)
Approximated Yearly Wage: $2.seven million
After a successful two-ten years operate at Baylor, wherever she gained three countrywide titles, Kim Mulkey stunned the basketball planet by becoming a member of LSU in 2021. In just her next year Along with the Tigers, she led them to your 2023 nationwide championship, bringing a brand new level of pleasure and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her higher-profile arrival arrived by using a valuable eight-year, $23.six million agreement, creating her certainly one of the best-paid out Ladies’s coaches ever. Noted for her passionate coaching model, flamboyant trend, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Ladies's hoops.
four. Brenda Frese – University of Maryland
Believed Annual Income: $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 Event appearances, Frese has held the Terrapins in countrywide competition for more than two decades.
Her extensive-phrase effects and growth of top-tier talent have built her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Division. Her latest deal incorporates bonuses for academic effectiveness, wins, and postseason achievement—illustrating her dual determination to athletics and pupil growth.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Estimated Yearly Salary: $1.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not just amongst the very best-compensated coaches but additionally the winningest coach in NCAA Gals's basketball history. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time earn file and has led Stanford to three national titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and diverse Final 4 appearances.
While VanDerveer has never been just one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford M88 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 these coaches are reflective from the expanding acceptance and fiscal viability of ladies’s higher education basketball. Systems are attracting additional nationwide Television bargains, ticket product sales are escalating, and corporate sponsors are becoming more invested in Women of all ages's sporting activities.
The increase in coaching salaries is not just a sign of progress—it’s a recognition on the labor, leadership, and achievement these coaches deliver to their courses as well as Activity as a whole.
Honorable Mentions
While these 5 coaches at the moment lead the way in terms of earnings, quite a few Some others are increasing:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Every of such coaches has created substantial strides with their respective courses and could crack to the leading 5 in the coming yrs as Females's basketball proceeds to expand.
Final Feelings
The times of underfunded Females’s programs and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not simply command higher salaries—In addition they mentor generations of athletes, shape the lifestyle in their universities, and elevate Females’s basketball to new heights. Given that the sport proceeds to expand in popularity and assist, we can assume these salaries—and the profiles of these leaders—to continue mounting.
Ladies’s higher education basketball isn’t just keeping tempo—it’s environment the speed for the way forward for aggressive sports.