Dawn Staley Becomes Highest-Paid Coach In Women’s Basketball

Great news for South Carolina Women’s Basketball fans as Dawn Staley has signed a contract extension with the school through the 2029-30 season.

It’s even bigger news for Dawn Staley as the extension makes her the highest-paid coach in Women’s basketball.

The contract began immediately after receiving approval from the University of South Carolina Board of Trustees today. It starts with an annual salary of $4 million, a $500,00 signing bonus and an annual $250,000 escalator, making the total value approximately $25.25 million.

With her new deal, Staley surpassed LSU’s Kim Mulkey, who re-upped with the Tigers through a 10-year, $32 million deal in September 2023.

“I’m proud to represent the University of South Carolina and of its investment in women’s basketball,” Staley said in a statement. “What we’ve been able to accomplish on the court is a testament to what can happen when you bring together the right people from a team perspective but also have the right commitment from the University, the Athletics Department and the community to providing that team with everything it needs to be successful. I appreciate every person who has been part of our journey – player, staff member, University President and leadership, Board of Trustee member, athletics director, athletics department employee and fan. I look forward to continuing to be an example of how an investment in women’s basketball is one that will pay off for everyone.”

Staley arrived at South Carolina in May 2008 and has built the program into a national powerhouse.

As per the release:

The Gamecocks are one of five programs to have at least three NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championships, and they are one of two programs to have put together multiple 40-game win streaks. Staley has led South Carolina to six of the last nine NCAA Final Fours, including each of the last four. Their current 107 consecutive weeks in the top 10 of the AP Poll is the longest active streak and the 11^th longest streak in the history of that poll. The Gamecocks’ 86 AP No. 1 rankings, all coming under Staley, are the third-most by a program in that poll’s history as well.

Staley, a five-time National Coach of the Year and one of the best in the sport, is the first former Naismith Player of the Year to win the Naismith Coach of the Year award. Even more impressively, she’s the first men’s or women’s coach to win the award in three straight seasons (2022-2024).

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

Staley had signed a seven-year, $22.4 million deal with the university in 2021 that kept her with the program through the 2027-28 season. That made her “the highest-paid African-American head coach in her sport and one of the highest-paid women’s basketball coaches in the country.”

With the new extension, the 3x NCAA championship coach now also claims the title of the latter.