five Optimum-Paid out Women of all ages's University Basketball Coaches
five Optimum-Paid out Women of all ages's University Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Gals’s faculty basketball has noticed exponential progress in viewership, talent, and competitiveness over the past decade. While using the increased recognition and commercial achievement from 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 continue on to take a position within their Females’s athletics departments, a couple of standout coaches are reaping the monetary benefits that come with creating powerhouse applications.
Here’s a think about the five highest-compensated Girls’s higher education basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not just their impressive salaries but also the achievements that justify their elite compensation.
one. Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Believed Yearly Income: $3.one million
Dawn Staley carries on to become the gold conventional in Girls’s school basketball coaching. A previous WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has developed South Carolina right into a perennial powerhouse. Considering that taking over the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to various NCAA Ultimate 4 appearances and two national championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she built headlines by signing a historic 7-12 months, $22.four million contract, building her the highest-paid out Black head mentor in Ladies's faculty basketball history. That deal has due to the fact been restructured and prolonged with effectiveness incentives, placing her firmly at the very best of this record.
two. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Estimated Yearly Wage: $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 transformed the program into The most dominant dynasties in college or university basketball background—Gentlemen's or Gals’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and constant functionality have ensured beneficial deal renewals. His current contract includes a base income, media obligations, clothing deals, and hefty bonuses tied to NCAA Tournament operates. While UConn has faced recent difficulties with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership keep his value higher.
3. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Point out College (LSU)
Believed Once-a-year Income: $two.7 million
Right after a successful two-ten years operate at Baylor, wherever she received 3 national titles, Kim Mulkey shocked the basketball world by signing up for LSU in 2021. In only her 2nd period Using the Tigers, she led them to some 2023 countrywide championship, bringing a completely new stage of excitement and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her high-profile arrival arrived by using a worthwhile 8-calendar year, $23.6 million contract, earning her amongst the very best-paid Women of all ages’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.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly constructed a product of consistency at Maryland since taking up in 2002. With numerous meeting championships, a national title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Event appearances, Frese has stored the Terrapins in countrywide competition for more than two decades.
Her very long-phrase effects and advancement of best-tier talent have designed her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Division. Her present-day offer incorporates bonuses for academic performance, wins, and postseason accomplishment—illustrating her twin dedication to athletics and scholar improvement.
5. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Believed Annual Salary: $one.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not merely 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 gain record and has led Stanford to three nationwide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and diverse Closing 4 appearances.
Though VanDerveer has never been 1 to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and M88 contributions are properly compensated. Her leadership, progress of WNBA stars, and determination to excellence have solidified her location One of the all-time greats in coaching historical past.
A Shifting Landscape in Gals's Basketball
The increasing salaries of such coaches are reflective from the developing acceptance and money viability of ladies’s faculty basketball. Systems are attracting additional countrywide Tv set discounts, ticket income are rising, and corporate sponsors are getting to be 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 on the labor, Management, and achievements these coaches provide to their applications and the Activity as a whole.
Honorable Mentions
Whilst these 5 coaches at the moment lead the way concerning 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 5 in the approaching yrs as Females's basketball proceeds to expand.
Remaining Ideas
The times of underfunded Females’s courses and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not merely command high salaries—Additionally they mentor generations of athletes, condition the tradition in their universities, and elevate women’s basketball to new heights. Since the Activity continues to increase in popularity and assist, we can count on these salaries—as well as profiles of these leaders—to continue mounting.
Women’s higher education basketball isn’t just holding pace—it’s environment the speed for the way forward for aggressive sports.