Time for Dawn Staley to get a pay raise at South Carolina? Darius Rucker thinks so
Darius Rucker is joining the cause to ensure the University of South Carolina does everything in its power to keep one of its most accomplished coaches in school history.
A tweet Sunday from Amanda Loveday, chief operating officer of the Columbia-based NP Stragtegy, began making its rounds, calling for a significant pay raise in support of USC women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley, who is coming off another undefeated Olympic appearance and gold medal win for the Team USA.
“If @UofSC doesn’t SIGNIFICANTLY increase @dawnstaley’s salary, we don’t deserve her. She is a living legend and we should be willing to break glass ceilings to keep her a Gamecock. Retweet if you agree,” Loveday wrote, tagging USC President Harris Pastides and athletic director Ray Tanner.
Among those who shared the sentiment was Rucker, the USC alum, country music star and frontman for Columbia’s own Hootie & the Blowfish.
“Agreed!!!!” he wrote.
“Yep!!!” added Today anchor and journalist Craig Melvin, who is also from Columbia and later invited Staley on the Today show to discuss Team USA’s success.
“Amen! @dawnstaley deserves anything she wants!” wrote DNC chair Jamie Harrison.
“Write a blank check,” another Twitter user wrote.
Staley, who has been at USC since 2008 is one of the most decorated women in the sport’s history. As a player, she won three Olympic gold medals, was named the the Naismith Player of the Year award twice and was named as one of the WNBA’s all-time top 15 players.
The six-time professional all-star transcended her role as a player and has led the Gamecocks to three Final Four appearances as a coach, including a championship win in 2017. After the national title run, Staley was given a new contract, making her the highest paid women’s coach in the SEC. It’s the last time her salary and contract length with South Carolina have been amended.
She will earn $1.8 million for the 2021-22 season, not counting any bonuses for postseason accomplishments. The university also contributes $300,000 annually toward a split-dollar life insurance program that, on Sept. 21, 2022, becomes Staley’s — that’s a total of $1.5 million plus interest.
By comparison, USC men’s basketball coach Frank Martin will make $3.3 million this coming season. Football coach Shane Beamer will make $2.75 million in his first season coaching the Gamecocks.
Staley is under contract with South Carolina through he 2024-25 season.
In 2020, Staley won the Naismith Coach of the Year and AP National Coach of the Year prior to leading the USA women’s basketball team a gold medal in Tokyo. Staley said Sunday that she would not return as the USA team’s coach next Olympics, according to ESPN.
NCAA coaches who lead men’s teams to Final Four appearances make twice as much as women’s coaches who do the same, according to Insider.
This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 1:14 PM.