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University of South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has made women's basketball history.
On Friday (January 17), news broke that the USC Board of Trustees approved a contract extension for Staley through the 2029-30 season, making her the highest-paid women's basketball coach in history.
Staley is set to earn an annual salary of $4 million, including a $500,000 signing bonus and an annual $250,000 escalator, which makes her contract value roughly $25.25 million.
“Dawn Staley is a once-in-a-generation coach who has made a tremendous impact on the University of South Carolina,” USC 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.”
Staley began working with USC women's basketball in 2008. The Gamecocks now boast three national titles, are one of two programs to have multiple 40-game win streaks, and have clocked trips to six of the last nine NCAA Final Fours.
“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.”
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