South Carolina's Dawn Staley Becomes Highest-Paid Women's Basketball Coach with $25.25M Deal Through 2029-30, Includes NBA/WNBA Option

Jan 17, 2025, 06:17 PM

Dawn Staley, head coach of the University of South Carolina's women's basketball team, has signed a historic contract extension that will keep her with the team through the 2029-30 season. The deal, approved by the school's Board of Trustees, sets her annual base salary at $4 million, with an annual increase of $250,000 and a $500,000 signing bonus, totaling approximately $25.25 million over the life of the contract. This makes Staley the highest-paid coach in women's college basketball history, surpassing previous top earners Kim Mulkey of LSU and Geno Auriemma of UConn. Staley's leadership has transformed the Gamecocks, leading them to three national championships since 2017 and four consecutive Final Four appearances. The contract also includes a unique provision allowing Staley to leave for a professional coaching position in the NBA or WNBA without a buyout penalty, a feature not found in the contracts of her counterparts.