McNeese State’s forward Quadir Copeland sprinted toward the audience on March 20, 2025 as the buzzer sounded. The Cowboys had just won their first NCAA Tournament game. 12th-seeded on one side, it was also the day head coach Will Wade’s potential distractions were questioned. But there he was, running around the court himself, celebrating redemption, and in a big way. Yes, his news of accepting an offer from NC State would follow soon. But first, he was back in the game.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen,” he’d say after the win, holding in the tears. With back-to-back Southland tournaments and regular season wins in the Southland Conference between 2023 and 2025, Wade had reinstated himself as one of the top coaches. NC State’s interest only cemented it further. But how has Will Wade been compensated through the ups and downs of his?

What is Will Wade’s contract with the McNeese State Cowboys? How long is the deal?

Wade, once one of the most heralded young coaches in the sport, revitalized his career at McNeese. After success in his first season with the Cowboys, the McNeese State extended Will Wade’s contract for five more seasons. He had led the program to 20-3 overall and 9-1 in the conference, after all.

“When he and I talked last year, I promised him when the program was turned around and flipped, I would rip up the current contract and give him a new one,” athletic director Heath Schroyer had revealed, and well, it transpired. Wade was reported to make $700,000 per year in his new deal. As for his buyout, it was $1.25 million if he were to leave before August 31st, 2024, $1 million for the following year, and further down to $500,000 the year after that.

How much will Will Wade earn in the 2024-25 NCAA season?

As per the extended deal, Will Wade would earn at least $700,000 per year with some other perks added depending on the team’s performance.

What was Will Wade’s previous contract with the McNeese State Cowboys?

McNeese State coach Will Wade resumed coaching in the 2023 season after his suspension following NCAA recruiting violations. McNeese athletics director Heath Schroyer showed faith in Will Wade and offered him a job at McNeese. It was on a two-year plan. Goals and expectations were simple for the head coach: Make the NCAA Tournament in the first year, and win a game in the second.

After McNeese’s victory in the 2025 March Madness, Schroyer proudly defended his decision to hire Wade. “All across the country, a lot of people thought I was absolutely crazy,” he said. “But it obviously has worked out pretty well.” However, the success would take the coach to NC State.

What is Will Wade’s net worth in 2025?

Wade found his footing as a head coach with VCU in 2015. He’s guide the team to its first Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season championship in his very first season and the management seemed pretty impressed. He received an eight-year contract extension following the success, meaning $1.4 million for 2016-17, plus incentives, and $1.5 million for the years that followed. But LSU swooped right in after that 2nd year.

They had to pay the Rams $1 million in compensation for taking Wade. The Tigers would then go on to sign him on a 6-year contract and by the looks of it, for a much larger sum. The details weren’t revealed. So while Will Wade’s net worth remains undisclosed, it is estimated to be around $1.75 million. His 2024-25 season only opened more gates.