USC adds major incentive for Dawn Staley to stick around
The University of South Carolina board of trustees approved a new deal for Dawn Staley on Friday that doesn't add length to her contract, but will give her a big incentive not to leave Columbia.
Under terms of the new deal, the university will loan Staley $300,000 per year for five years, for the purpose of her investing that money in a split-dollar life insurance policy that could potentially be worth millions in her retirement. Staley must remain coach of the Gamecocks for five seasons to receive the loans.
Staley is just one year removed from receiving an extension and raise — after leading the Gamecocks to the 2017 national championship, she was rewarded with an eight-year deal that made her the highest paid coach in the SEC, worth more than $14 million, peaking at $2.1 million in the final season.
Staley has spent 10 seasons with South Carolina, accumulating a 250-87 record. She is the program's all-time wins leader and her teams have advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 for five consecutive years.
This past offseason, Staley's alma mater, Virginia, had a coaching vacancy after the retirement of coach Joanne Boyle. Though Staley denied any interest in the position, UVA athletics director Carla Williams confirmed that she had contacted Staley about the job before eventually hiring Texas assistant and former WNBA star Tina Thompson.
Friday's deal gives South Carolina extra assurance that Staley won't be going anywhere for the foreseeable future. With that $1.5 million in 2021-2022, she will earn $3.1 million in that year.
Connecticut's Geno Auriemma, who has won 11 national titles with the Huskies, is the highest-paid women's coach in the country. He recently signed a deal that paid him up to $2.4 million by the end of the contract, in 2021.
Also on Friday, the board of trustees approved one-year extensions for women's basketball associate head coach Lisa Boyer and men's basketball assistant coaches Perry Clark and Chuck Martin, keeping them at USC through March 31, 2019.
Boyer will make $300,000, Clark will continue to make $265,000, and Martin will stay with a salary of $300,000.
Boyer has been on Staley's staff since she came to South Carolina in 2008, first as an assistant before being promoted to associate head coach in 2010.
Clark has been with Carolina head coach Frank Martin for five of his six seasons in Columbia. Chuck Martin was hired last June and has been instrumental in landing class of 2018 recruits Jermaine Couisnard and T.J. Moss. Martin, who previously served on Indiana's staff, was also key in getting former McDonald's All-American Brian Bowen to enroll at USC in January.
*A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the university and Staley had agreed to a $1.5 million longevity bonus to be paid out in full in 2022. This error has been corrected.
USC tweaks football contracts
If any of South Carolina’s most high-profile assistant football coaches want to leave for a head coaching job, Gamecocks head coach Will Muschamp doesn’t want the university to stand in their way.
On Friday, the university’s board of trustees unanimously approved a proposal by Muschamp, presented by athletics director Ray Tanner, to remove the buyout obligations of defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson, offensive coordinator Bryan McClendon, defensive line coach Lance Thompson, offensive line coach Eric Wolford and quarterbacks coach Dan Werner if any of those coaches leave immediately for a head coaching job in college or professional football.
Those five assistants all have multi-year contracts, unlike South Carolina’s other five on-field assistants, who are on one-year deals.
This story was originally published April 20, 2018 at 12:25 PM with the headline "USC adds major incentive for Dawn Staley to stick around."