Women of all ages’s university basketball has observed exponential advancement in viewership, expertise, and competitiveness in the last 10 years. Using the improved acceptance and business accomplishment on 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 Ladies’s athletics departments, a couple of standout coaches are reaping the financial benefits that come with setting up powerhouse applications.
Right here’s a think about the 5 greatest-paid Gals’s higher education basketball coaches as of 2025, showcasing not merely their extraordinary salaries but will also the achievements that justify their elite payment.
1. Dawn Staley – College of South Carolina
Estimated Yearly Salary: $three.1 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. Given that taking over the program in 2008, she has led the Gamecocks to various NCAA Ultimate Four appearances and two countrywide championships (2017 and 2022).
In 2021, she manufactured headlines by signing a historic seven-yr, $22.four million contract, generating her the best-paid Black head mentor in women's higher education basketball history. That deal has considering the fact that been restructured and extended with general performance incentives, placing her firmly at the highest of the list.
2. Geno Auriemma – University of Connecticut
Approximated Annual Salary: $2.9 million
A residing legend, Geno Auriemma has guided the UConn Huskies to the jaw-dropping 11 national titles. His tenure at UConn, which commenced in 1985, has remodeled This system into Just about the most dominant dynasties in faculty basketball history—Adult males's or women’s.
Auriemma’s longevity and reliable performance have ensured worthwhile agreement renewals. His present-day contract includes a base salary, media obligations, apparel discounts, and significant bonuses tied to NCAA Match operates. Though UConn has confronted recent difficulties with injuries and roster turnover, Auriemma’s legacy and leadership preserve his price significant.
three. Kim Mulkey – Louisiana Condition University (LSU)
Approximated Annual Salary: $2.seven million
After a successful two-decade operate at Baylor, where by she received a few countrywide titles, Kim Mulkey stunned the basketball earth by becoming a member of LSU in 2021. In just her second season Using the Tigers, she led them to some 2023 national championship, bringing a new stage of excitement and spotlight to Baton Rouge.
Her higher-profile arrival arrived which has a lucrative eight-12 months, $23.6 million agreement, producing her one among the best-paid out Females’s coaches ever. Recognized for her passionate coaching type, flamboyant style, and championship pedigree, Mulkey is central to LSU’s resurgence in Ladies's hoops.
four. Brenda Frese – University of Maryland
Estimated Once-a-year Salary: $one.4 million
Brenda Frese has quietly constructed a product of consistency at Maryland given that taking on in 2002. With a number of conference championships, a countrywide title in 2006, and dozens of NCAA Tournament appearances, Frese has saved the Terrapins in nationwide contention for more than two decades.
Her very long-phrase impact and progress of best-tier expertise have manufactured her indispensable to Maryland’s athletic department. Her latest deal features bonuses for educational performance, wins, and postseason accomplishment—illustrating her twin dedication to athletics and university student advancement.
five. Tara VanDerveer – Stanford College
Estimated Yearly Income: $1.3 million
Tara VanDerveer is not simply certainly one of the very best-compensated coaches but additionally the winningest mentor in NCAA women's basketball historical past. She surpassed Pat Summitt’s all-time acquire file and it has led Stanford to three nationwide titles (1990, 1992, and 2021) and various Final Four appearances.
Even though VanDerveer hasn't been one to chase flashy contracts, Stanford has ensured that her legacy and 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 Switching Landscape in Women's Basketball
The escalating salaries of those coaches are reflective on the escalating popularity and monetary viability of women’s university basketball. Plans are attracting far more nationwide Television bargains, ticket product sales are escalating, and corporate sponsors have become much more invested in Ladies's sports.
The increase in coaching salaries is not simply a sign of progress—it’s a recognition of the effort, Management, and accomplishment these coaches carry to their courses and the Activity as a whole.
Honorable Mentions
While these 5 coaches at the moment lead the way concerning 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 M88 in the coming decades as Girls's basketball continues to improve.
Last Views
The days of underfunded Gals’s plans and underpaid coaches are steadily fading. These elite coaches not only command substantial 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 develop in attractiveness and help, we can easily anticipate these salaries—plus the 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.
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