Dawn Staley Earns $680,000 Bonuses South Carolina Championship Victory

South Carolina's Dawn Staley leads in women's college basketball bonuses with $680,000, topping NCAA runner-up Iowa's Lisa Bluder at $310,000.

Dawn Staley of South Carolina dominated the women's college basketball coaching field this season, earning a staggering $680,000 in bonuses on top of her $3.1 million annual compensation. Her bonuses were based on various achievements throughout the season, such as winning the SEC regular season and tournament titles, the NCAA championship, and receiving coach-of-the-year honors.

Following Staley, Lisa Bluder of Iowa received the second-highest bonus total of $310,000, along with contract extensions and a pay increase. Geno Auriemma of Connecticut and Wes Moore of North Carolina State also received significant bonus amounts for their teams' performances in the NCAA tournament.

Other public-school coaches who advanced to the NCAA Tournament round of 16 also received bonuses based on their team's performance. These bonuses varied in amount, with coaches like Yolett McPhee-McCuin of Mississippi, Jeff Mittie of Kansas State, and Courtney Banghart of North Carolina earning substantial bonuses.

It's important to note that these bonus amounts do not account for potential contingencies that could affect payment, such as academic achievements by players or future investigations related to rules violations. Additionally, bonuses and pay increases for assistant coaches, staff, and athletics directors may also result from these achievements.

While the exact bonus amounts for coaches at private schools are not available, it's clear that successful coaching performances in women's college basketball can lead to substantial financial rewards.