Dawn Staley has made history once again.
The University of South Carolina head women’s basketball coach recently signed a seven-year, $26 million contract extension, making her the highest-paid Black female coach in NCAA women’s basketball history.
The deal, approved by the school’s board of trustees, secures Staley’s tenure at South Carolina through the 2029-30 season with an annual base salary of $4 million. It also includes a $500,000 signing bonus and an annual $250,000 salary escalator, bringing her total earnings to approximately $25.25 million.
Before this extension, Staley was the third-highest-paid coach in women’s college basketball, trailing Kim Mulkey (LSU) and Geno Auriemma (UConn). According to USA Today, Mulkey made $3.2 million annually in 2024, while Auriemma earned $3.1 million.
Our ???? signed through through 2029-30 – highest paid coach in NCAA WBB history!https://t.co/MPWLHKGQiX pic.twitter.com/ptILWeVuk9
— South Carolina Women’s Basketball (@GamecockWBB) January 17, 2025
“Dawn Staley is a once-in-a-generation coach who has made a tremendous impact on the University of South Carolina,” athletics director Jeremiah Donati said in a statement.
“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.”
Since taking over as head coach in 2008, Staley has transformed South Carolina’s women’s basketball program into a powerhouse. Under her leadership, the team secured its first conference title in 2014, won its first national championship in 2017, and added another in 2022.
In 2024, the Gamecocks had a record-breaking season, finishing 38-0 to win another national title, becoming only the 10th team in NCAA women’s basketball history to have a perfect season.
The team is currently ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll behind UCLA, the only team to defeat South Carolina this season.
The new AP Top 25 women’s college basketball poll is out:
1. UCLA
2. South Carolina (+1)
3. Notre Dame (+5)
4. UConn (-2)
5. LSU (-1)
6. Texas
7. USC (-2)
8. Maryland (+1)
9. Duke (-1)
10. Oklahoma
11. Ohio State
12. TCU
13. Kansas State
14. West Virginia (+1)
15. Michigan… pic.twitter.com/Cjx4RNzB2b— I talk hoops ???? (@trendyhoopstars) December 16, 2024
“I’m proud to represent the University of South Carolina and its investment in women’s basketball,” the five-time Coach of the Year said in a press release.
“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.”
She continued, “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.”
But even with Staley’s well-deserved pay raise, her salary still falls far behind the top coaches in men’s college basketball.
According to a USA Today database, Staley’s new salary trails behind 16 men’s basketball coaches from last season, including Kansas’ Bill Self, who led all college coaches with a $9.6 million annual salary.
She also earns less than South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer, who made over $6.4 million in 2024.
Still, Staley’s contract extension marks a major milestone for women’s college basketball, solidifying her status as one of the most influential figures in the sport.
Dawn Staley said something today on her new contract extension that gave me chills. “Not very many opportunities that women get what they deserve. Its a beacon of hope. It’s ok for administrators, fortune 500 companies to do this. I didn’t know success had a gender. We still… pic.twitter.com/SGmvzWDojO
— Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) January 24, 2025
