Dawn Staley just got paid.
South Carolina announced Friday that Staley has agreed to sign a contract extension that will keep her as head coach of its women's basketball program through the 2029-30 season. The contract will start with an annual salary of $4 million and has a total value of about $25.25 million, making Staley the highest-paid women's coach in college basketball history in terms of average annual value.
Staley's contract surpasses LSU coach Kim Mulkey's 10-year deal worth $32 million she signed in 2023.
"Dawn Staley is a once-in-a-generation coach who has made a tremendous impact on the University of South Carolina,” Gamecocks athletic 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 was hired by the Gamecocks in May 2008, taking over a program that had been to the NCAA tournament just twice in the last 17 years. She has transformed South Carolina into a women's basketball powerhouse, winning national championships in 2017, '22 and '24.
Over 17 seasons at the helm in Columbia, S.C., Staley has compiled 457 wins and has reached the Final Four six times. South Carolina has been in the top 10 of the AP poll for 107 straight weeks—the 11th-longest streak in the history of that poll.
"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 look forward to continuing to be an example of how an investment in women’s basketball is one that will pay off for everyone."
Staley and the Gamecocks are off to another fantastic start in the 2024-25 season, as they enter Sunday's matchup against Oklahoma with a 17–1 record as the No. 2-ranked team in the country.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dawn Staley Signs Record-Breaking Contract Extension With South Carolina.
