On April 7, renowned coach Dawn Staley led her South Carolina Gamecocks to an 87-75 victory over Iowa in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament championship game. In the process the team finished their season 38-0 and became the 10th team in women’s college basketball history to go unbeaten all season. Staley also secured the bag, getting a $250,000 bonus for the win.
Staley, a pioneering force in women’s basketball, boasts a net worth of $7 million.
From her standout collegiate career to her storied coaching tenure at the University of South Carolina, Staley’s impact transcends mere victories.
Bonuses and Basketball
As South Carolina dominated the women’s college basketball this season, Staley took home bonus after bonus before the final game, ending 2023-24 by racking up all $680,000 in performance awards she was eligible to receive this season.
Then there’s her record-breaking salary.
As Sports Illustrated reported in 2021, South Carolina’s Board of Trustees approved a historic seven-year, $22.4 million contract extension, positioning her as one of the highest-paid women’s basketball coaches nationwide and the highest-paid Black head coach in her sport.
Staley stands among a select few earning more than $3 million annually in women’s basketball coaching. Joining her in this prestigious group are UConn coach Geno Auriemma, with a salary of $3.1 million, and LSU’s Kim Mulkey, who earns $3.26 million. While Auriemma’s bonus potential is capped at $375,000, Mulkey can augment her earnings with up to an additional $750,000 in performance incentives.
Additionally, her coaching achievements, including multiple NCAA Final Four appearances in 2015, 2017, and from 2021 to 2024 and eight SEC championships from 2015 to 2018, in 2020 and 2021, 2023 and 2024, affirm Staley status as one of the nation’s premier coaches.
As a player, she garnered six WNBA All-Star selections and three Olympic gold medals, cementing her as a trailblazer in every sense.
Coach Staley has led her teams to three NCAA Division I Tournament championships in 2017, 2022, and 2024 and six NCAA Regionals.
Additionally, she has been honored with the Naismith Coach of the Year award four times, in 2020 and from 2022 to 2024.