University of South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley just became the highest-paid coach in women’s college basketball after she signed an extension to stay with the team.
The school announced Friday that its Board of Trustees approved a contract extension for Staley that will go through the 2029-30 season.
The contract, which began after the Board’s approval, has an annual base salary of $4 million. It also includes a $500,000 signing bonus and an annual $250,000 escalator, making Staley’s total pay approximately $25.25 million.
Staley previously had an annual base salary of $3.1 million, according to a USA Today database.
She has surpassed women’s basketball coaches Kim Mulkey, of Lousiana State University, and Geno Auriemma, of the University of Connecticut. The database showed Mulkey made $3.2 million annually in 2024 and Auriemma made $3.1 million annually.