South Carolina makes Dawn Staley highest-paid women's hoops coach - ESPN

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 with 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 on the University of South Carolina,» athletic director Jeremiah Donati said. «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 has won three national championships since taking over the program in 2008, including last season's 38-0 title team. Going back to the 2013-14 season, the Gamecocks are 165-15 in SEC regular-season play. They have won or tied for the league regular-season title eight times in that stretch, and won eight SEC tournament titles.

Staley was making $3.2 million this season before the extension went into 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 NCAA title in 2006, are the only active head coaches who have won the national championship in women's basketball.

Staley also guided to the United States women's basketball team to the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

South Carolina's only loss this season