Clemson softball coach gets raise, contract extension. Here are the details
After a record-setting season, Clemson’s softball coach is getting a raise.
Tigers softball coach John Rittman’s annual base salary will rise to $315,000 this year and increase by an additional $10,000 annually under a new deal approved Thursday by the Clemson University Board of Trustees compensation committee.
Rittman’s deal is for six years and a total of $2.01 million in base salary. His annual salary will rise to $350,000 by 2030-31, the final year of his new contract.
Rittman was previously set to make $305,000 in 2025-26.
Clemson softball had a record-setting year in 2025. The Tigers won their first ACC tournament championship, won their first Super Regional game and came within one win of advancing to their first Women’s College World Series.
One year after program legend Valerie Cagle graduated, Clemson finished 48-14 and earned the No. 11 overall seed in the NCAA softball tournament. The Tigers were one victory away from Oklahoma City after beating No. 6 Texas in Game 1 of the Austin Super Regional before losing the next two games in the best-of-three series.
Texas went on to win the national championship.
Clemson athletic director Graham Neff told board members Thursday he was “pleased to bring forward” the deal for Rittman, the only coach in program history.
Rittman, 61, has led the Clemson softball team since its inaugural season and is 237-78 (.752) overall. The Tigers have made the NCAA Tournament each year they’ve been eligible (there was no tournament in 2020 because of COVID-19) and have drawn notable fan support at McWhorter Stadium.
Rittman was previously Stanford’s softball coach and led that program to 18 winning seasons, 16 NCAA tournaments and two WCWS appearances from 1997-2014. This is his first contract extension with Clemson since 2022.
Other incentives within Rittman’s new contract include a $50,000 signing bonus, a $50,000 annual “retention bonus” set to kick in Aug. 15 and a standard bonus structure for success in the ACC and NCAA tournaments.
Contract extensions for other Clemson coaches
Rittman’s contract was the only one that required board approval, but Neff and Clemson athletics also announced extension for four other coaches Thursday.
Women’s lacrosse coach Allison Kwolek, track and field coach Mark Elliott, women’s tennis coach Boomer Saia and men’s tennis coach Brandon Wagner all got contract extensions after their programs had successful seasons.
Women’s lacrosse made its first NCAA tournament and reached the Sweet 16 round; men’s tennis made its first NCAA tournament since 2013; women’s tennis made its first since 2018; and Clemson women’s track won the ACC indoor title.
Here are highlights of those new deals:
- Mark Elliott (track and field): Contract extended through 2028, base salary increased to $195,000 for 2025-26, no annual retention bonus
- Allison Kwolek (women’s lacrosse): Contract extended through 2030, base salary increased to $190,000 for 2025-26, annual retention bonus starting at $30,000
- Brandon Wagner (men’s tennis): Contract extended through 2030, base salary increased to $190,000 for 2025-26, annual retention bonus starting at $30,000
- Boomer Saia (women’s tennis): Contract extended through 2030, base salary increased to $175,000 for 2025-26, annual retention bonus starting at $20,000
This story was originally published July 17, 2025 at 1:39 PM.
