Benjamin Ashford|Women's college basketball coaches in the Sweet 16 who have earned tournament bonuses

Just as women’s college basketball teams have Benjamin Ashfordbeen chasing South Carolina on the court throughout this season, women’s college basketball coaches are chasing Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley in terms of bonuses as the NCAA Tournament’s round of 16 begins Friday night.

Given her team’s 34-0 record, it’s no surprise that Staley so far has picked up every performance bonus provided under her contract. It comes to $190,000 altogether − the top total among Power Five public-school coaches, plus Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma, whose teams were in the field of 68.

If South Carolina wins the national championship, and Staley wins either the Associated Press or Naismith national coach of the year award, she will end up with $680,000 in bonuses this season.

Colorado’s JR Payne is the only public-school coach left in the field who has more bonus money still available than the $490,000 that Staley could claim. If the fifth-seeded Buffaloes were to win the NCAA title, Payne would add $525,000.

Over the longer haul, Iowa’s Lisa Bluder and North Carolina State’s Wes Moore could end up with even larger amounts. That’s because Bluder has qualified for a pair of automatic one-year contract extensions, as well as a $100,000 raise that will take effect July 1. Her contract is now set to run through June 30, 2031. And she could add to both her raise and lump-sum bonus totals if the Hawkeyes keep winning.

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In addition to his bonuses for this season, Moore so far has picked up a $50,000 raise, beginning next season. If the Wolfpack advance, that raise could increase to as much as $300,000. With four full seasons left on his contract, that would equate to as much as $1.2 million in added value to the deal.  

Below is a school-by-school list for all coaches, alphabetical by school within each tournament, of bonus amounts achieved so far this season and amounts available in the regional semifinals and finals.

Except as noted, the list does not take into account contingencies that could alter or prevent payment of bonuses, such as academic achievement by players, the coach's departure from the school, future investigations and/or sanctions related to rules violations. It also does not include bonuses for national coach-of-the-year honors not yet announced, team academic performance, attendance, season-ticket sales, or the value of tickets or perks tied to tournament participation.

Amounts for coaches at private schools are not available because those institutions are not required to release their employment contracts.

Colorado: JR Payne

Has:

►$30,000: 19 regular season wins

►$30,000: 21 regular season wins

►$25,000: NCAA tournament bid

►$30,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance

►$50,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance

Can get:

►$75,000: NCAA round of 8 appearance

►$100,000: NCAA Final Four appearance

►$150,000: NCAA title game appearance

►$200,000: Win NCAA title

Connecticut: Geno Auriemma

Has:

►$25,000: Big East regular season title

►$25,000: Big East coach of the year

►$12,500: Big East tournament title

►$50,000: NCAA tournament bid

►$50,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance

Can get:

►$50,000: NCAA round of 8 appearance

►$50,000: NCAA Final Four appearance

►$100,000: Win NCAA title

Indiana: Teri Moren

Has:

►$50,000: Big Ten regular season top-three finish (team tied for 2nd)

►$25,000: NCAA tournament bid

►$25,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance

►$25,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance

Can get:

►$25,000: NCAA round of 8 appearance

►$25,000: NCAA Final Four appearance

►$125,000: Win NCAA title

Iowa: Lisa Bluder

Has:

►$50,000: Overall season winning percentage of at least .650

►Two 1-year contract extensions; $80,000 raise, beginning next season; $60,000 in bonuses this season: Big Ten tournament title and NCAA tournament bid (Agreement now set to run through June 30, 2031.)

►Additional $20,000 raise, beginning next season; $50,000 bonus this season: NCAA round of 16 appearance (The two added years and $100,000 in raises, beginning next season, combine to add total of $3.5 million to contract’s scheduled remaining value, with $2 million of that amount guaranteed.)

Can get:

►Additional $50,000 raise, beginning next season (would make total raise of $150,000, beginning next season); $50,000 bonus this season: NCAA round of 8 appearance

►$100,000: NCAA Final Four appearance

►$100,000: Win NCAA title

LSU: Kim Mulkey

Has:

►$30,000: NCAA tournament bid

►$35,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance

►$45,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance

Can get:

►$50,000: NCAA round of 8 appearance

►$75,000: NCAA Final Four appearance

►$85,000: NCAA title game appearance

►$230,000: Win NCAA title

North Carolina State: Wes Moore

Has:

►$25,000 raise, beginning next season; $10,000 bonus this season: NCAA tournament bid

►$10,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance

►Additional $25,000 raise, beginning next season; $30,000 bonus this season: NCAA round of 16 appearance (The $50,000 in raises, beginning next season, add total of $200,000 to contract’s scheduled remaining value.)

Can get:

►Additional $25,000 raise, beginning next season (would make total raise of $75,000, beginning next season); $50,000 bonus this season: NCAA round of 8 appearance

► Additional $75,000 raise (would make total raise of $150,000, beginning next season); $50,000 bonus this season: NCAA Final Four appearance

►$50,000: NCAA title game appearance

►Additional $150,000 raise (would make total raise of $300,000, beginning next season); $100,000 bonus this season: Win NCAA title

Oregon State: Scott Rueck

Has:

►$69,960: NCAA tournament bid

►$10,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance

►$10,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance

Can get:

►$10,000: NCAA round of 8 appearance

►$70,000: NCAA Final Four appearance

►$50,000: Win NCAA title

South Carolina: Dawn Staley

Has:

►$15,000: 11 SEC regular season wins

►$75,000: SEC regular season title

►$25,000: SEC coach of the year

►$25,000: SEC tournament title in same season as regular season title

►$25,000: NCAA tournament bid

►$25,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance

Can get:

►$50,000: NCAA round of 8 appearance

►$150,000: NCAA Final Four appearance

►$250,000: Win NCAA title

►$15,000: Top 25 in final USA TODAY Coaches Poll or Associated Press media poll

Texas: Vic Schaefer

Has:

►$50,000: Big 12 tournament title

►$50,000: NCAA tournament bid

►$25,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance

►$25,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance

Can get:

►$25,000: NCAA round of 8 appearance

►$25,000: NCAA Final Four appearance

►$25,000: NCAA title game appearance

►$75,000: Win NCAA title

UCLA: Cori Close

Has:

►$25,000: NCAA tournament bid

►$10,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance

►$10,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance

Can get:

►$10,000: NCAA round of 8 appearance

►$10,000: NCAA Final Four appearance

►$10,000: NCAA title game appearance

►$10,000: Win NCAA title