South Carolina makes Dawn Staley highest paid women’s hoops coach

South Carolina announced Friday that Dawn Staley has received a contract extension through the 2029-30 season that will make her the highest-paid coach in women’s basketball.

The contract, approved by the university’s board of trustees, starts at an annual salary of $4 million, includes a $500.00 signing bonus and has an annual $250,000 escalator, bringing the total value to approximately $25.25 million.

“Dawn Staley is a once-in-a-generation coach who has made a tremendous impact at the University of South Carolina,” Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati said. “She has elevated the sport of women’s basketball nationally and here on campus, and I am thrilled that she will represent our university for many years to come.”

Staley has won three national championships since taking over the program in 2008, including last season’s 38-0 title team. Dating back to the 2013-14 season, the Gamecocks are 165-15 in SEC regular season play. They have won or tied for the league in the regular season eight times in that stretch and won eight SEC Tournament titles.

Staley made $3.2 million this season before the extension took effect. UConn’s Geno Auriemma, who has won 11 NCAA titles with the Huskies, is making $3.34 million this season. LSU’s Kim Mulkey, who won three NCAA titles at Baylor and then led LSU to its first in 2023, is making $3.25 million this season.

Staley, Auriemma and Mulkey and Maryland’s Brenda Frese, who led the Terrapins to the 2006 NCAA title, are the only active head coaches to win the women’s basketball national championship.

Staley also guided the USA women’s basketball team to the gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

South Carolina’s only loss this season came in November to UCLA. Gamecocks no. 2 is 17-1 overall and 5-0 in the SEC, and they host the No. 13 at Oklahoma on Sunday (ESPN, 3 p.m. ET).

“I am proud to represent the University of South Carolina and its investment in women’s basketball,” Staley said. “What we’ve been able to accomplish on the field is a testament to what can happen when you bring the right people together from a team perspective, but also have the right commitment from the university, the athletic department and the community to deliver it team. with everything it needs to succeed.”

According to the Charleston Post and Courier, if Staley terminates the contract before its expiration, she owes the school the full amount of the remaining contract, with one exception: if she takes a head coaching or assistant job in the WNBA or NBA.