five Best-Compensated Women of all ages's College Basketball Coaches
five Best-Compensated Women of all ages's College Basketball Coaches
Blog Article
Females’s college or university basketball has witnessed exponential advancement in viewership, talent, and competitiveness in the last 10 years. Along with the elevated attractiveness and professional achievements from the Activity, specifically in NCAA Division I programs, coaching salaries have risen to replicate the worth and leadership these top-tier coaches deliver to their teams and universities. As universities carry on to take a position in their Females’s athletics departments, several standout coaches are reaping the economic rewards that include constructing powerhouse plans.
Right here’s a look at the 5 greatest-paid Women of all ages’s faculty basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not just their outstanding salaries but additionally the achievements that justify their elite compensation.
1. Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Estimated Annual Wage: $3.1 million
Dawn Staley carries on to generally be the gold standard in Ladies’s faculty basketball coaching. A former WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Staley has crafted South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse. Because taking up the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to numerous NCAA Ultimate Four appearances and two national championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she produced headlines by signing a historic seven-12 months, $22.4 million contract, earning her the very best-compensated Black head mentor in Girls's college basketball historical past. That offer has considering that been restructured and prolonged with general performance incentives, placing her firmly at the highest of this checklist.
two. Geno Auriemma – College of Connecticut
Believed Annual Wage: $2.nine million
A dwelling legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to a jaw-dropping 11 countrywide titles. His tenure at UConn, which commenced in 1985, has remodeled This system into Among the most dominant dynasties in faculty basketball record—Adult men's or Girls’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and dependable overall performance have ensured worthwhile deal renewals. His present-day deal features a foundation income, media obligations, clothing deals, and significant bonuses tied to NCAA Event operates. While UConn has confronted recent difficulties with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership hold his price significant.
three. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Point out College (LSU)
Believed Annual Salary: $2.seven million
After A prosperous two-ten years operate at Baylor, the place she gained three national titles, Kim Mulkey stunned the basketball earth by signing up for LSU in 2021. In just her second season with the Tigers, she led them to the 2023 countrywide championship, bringing a different degree of excitement and Highlight to Baton Rouge.
Her significant-profile arrival arrived with a rewarding 8-calendar year, $23.six million contract, building her one of the best-paid out Females’s coaches at any time. Recognized for her passionate coaching design, flamboyant fashion, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Women of all ages's hoops.
4. Brenda Frese – College of Maryland
Approximated Annual Wage: $1.four million
Brenda Frese has quietly developed a design of consistency at Maryland considering the fact that taking up in 2002. With numerous conference championships, a nationwide 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 growth of top-tier expertise have created her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic Section. Her existing offer consists of bonuses for tutorial efficiency, wins, and postseason achievements—illustrating her dual motivation to athletics and university student growth.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Estimated Yearly Wage: $1.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not just one of the highest-paid out coaches but will also the winningest mentor in M88 NCAA Ladies's basketball heritage. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time gain document and has led Stanford to a few nationwide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and various Final Four appearances.
Though VanDerveer has not been a person to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and contributions are correctly compensated. Her leadership, improvement of WNBA stars, and dedication to excellence have solidified her position Amongst the all-time greats in coaching record.
A Shifting Landscape in Women of all ages's Basketball
The expanding salaries of such coaches are reflective of your expanding acceptance and money viability of ladies’s faculty basketball. Courses are attracting extra countrywide Tv set specials, ticket profits are raising, and company sponsors have become extra invested in Gals's sports activities.
The rise in coaching salaries is not only a sign of development—it’s a recognition of your exertions, leadership, and achievement these coaches provide to their courses as well as Activity as a whole.
Honorable Mentions
When these five coaches currently guide the best way with regards to earnings, a number of others are rising:
Kelly Graves (Oregon)
Vic Schaefer (Texas)
Jeff Walz (Louisville)
Courtney Banghart (North Carolina)
Every single of these coaches has built important strides with their respective packages and will split to the leading 5 in the coming yrs as Females's basketball continues to increase.
Last Feelings
The days of underfunded Girls’s applications and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches don't just command large salaries—In addition they mentor generations of athletes, shape the lifestyle in their universities, and elevate Girls’s basketball to new heights. As being the Activity carries on to grow in popularity and help, we are able to expect these salaries—along with the profiles of such leaders—to continue growing.
Women of all ages’s university basketball isn’t just preserving pace—it’s environment the tempo for the way forward for aggressive sporting activities.