After 17 seasons, three national championships, and a coaching career that shows no signs of slowing down, Dawn Staley is, without a doubt, one of the biggest names in the game. And if you haven’t heard the news yet, she’s just signed a historic contract extension that has made her the highest-paid coach in women’s college basketball. But you know what? It’s really not that surprising when you take a look at her record.

Now, how did her players react to the news of her new contract? You know, with a contract extension like that, you might expect some big celebrations. But the head coach herself shared an amusing tidbit. “They asked to borrow a dollar,” she joked when asked about the players’ reactions. 

However, later, she added that she usually only shares details like this if her players bring it up first. “I only give them information if they ask for it. And when they do, I just tell them what I told you,” she explained with a laugh.

But honestly, she can bless her 13 players indeed with more than a dollar. Staley will now be making an annual salary of $4 million—starting from the 2024-2025 season—and her total contract is valued at an eye-popping $25.25 million. In addition to the salary, she’s also secured a $500,000 signing bonus and a $250,000 annual escalator. 

That means this deal surpasses the contract of LSU’s Kim Mulkey, who signed a $32 million deal back in 2023. Jeremiah Donati, the athletic director at South Carolina, couldn’t have been more thrilled about the extension, calling Staley a “once-in-a-generation coach.” 

He pointed out how she’s not only taken the Gamecocks to new heights but also played a massive role in elevating the sport of women’s basketball as a whole. And Staley is truly about putting the work in. 

Since taking over the program in 2008, she’s led South Carolina to 457 wins, reached the Final Four six times, and consistently kept the team ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll. But Staley, being as grounded as she is. “I’m proud to represent the University of South Carolina and of its investment in women’s basketball,” she said.

And while the money is great, Staley’s advice for her players is where the real value lies. She didn’t just joke around about the cash. Staley has always been about teaching her team the value of hard work and standing up for what you deserve. 

As she put it, “There’s going to be a time in their lives where they’re going to feel like they’re doing a job and getting paid less, and they’ll have to handle those instances.” It’s clear that while the paycheck is nice, it’s all about knowing your worth in the long run. The women’s game deserves more attention and equal compensation, and the coach knows it.

Dawn Staley leads the way as women’s tournament sees major growth with new distribution deal

Speaking of progress, Staley will be happy to hear that things are improving on the women’s side of things. For the first time ever, the NCAA is distributing payouts for women’s basketball based on tournament performance, with a $15 million revenue share. 

That’s a big step forward, but still not quite on par with the men’s payouts, which total $32 million. However, the women’s tournament is growing at a rapid pace, with a 10x increase in media rights compared to the past deal. It’s no secret that the financial gap between men’s and women’s basketball is significant, but things are improving. 

The women’s tournament, which is backed by a $65 million media rights deal (a massive boost from previous years), has seen a huge uptick in attention and revenue. The payouts will be distributed based on performance from the 2025 season, which is a huge win for the sport. A huge “YES!” was Dawn Staley’s reaction when she first heard about the vote. Not a surprise. 

And as the popularity of the women’s game continues to grow, we’re likely to see these payouts increase. The 2028 season is expected to see 41% of the media rights in payouts, compared to 26% the upcoimg season. March Madness 2024 will feature 68 teams competing for the championship, and with more fan interest than ever, it’s the perfect time for the sport to secure larger media deals and close the financial gap. So, let’s see what happens!