Todd Golden helped the University of Florida claim the top spot in men’s basketball, but he did not come close to claiming the top spot in a tally of bonuses stacked up by public-school men’s coaches whose teams played in the NCAA Tournament.
Golden’s total of $175,000 in bonuses was ninth-best among this group, based on a USA TODAY Sports analysis of coaches’ contracts — and a fraction of the $1.2 million that Tennessee’s Rick Barnes will be getting for the Volunteers’ advance to the Elite Eight and No. 5 ranking in the final Associated Press media poll.
Now, some context is in order here. At age 39, Golden is the youngest coach to win the men’s championship since North Carolina State’s Jim Valvano, who was 37 when the Wolfpack won it in 1983. He also just completed his third season as Florida’s head coach and his sixth season as a head coach overall — and this was the first time he had led a team beyond the first round of the tournament.
Golden’s total pay for this season is set to be $3.6 million, which put him 34th in the USA TODAY Sports annual survey of men’s basketball coaches’ pay, which covers those in the Power Four conferences and those outside the Power Four whose schools had participated in at least three of the past five NCAA tournaments.
So, it is understandable that — at least for this season — his compensation and bonus arrangements were not as lucrative as those for long-established coaches like Barnes, or Auburn’s Bruce Pearl and Houston’s Kelvin Sampson (each of whom ended with $500,000 in bonuses).
Extraordinarily accomplished women’s basketball head coaches Geno Auriemma of Connecticut and Dawn Staley of South Carolina also out-earned Golden in bonuses and in their totals of pay, plus bonuses. Auriemma’s grand total was just under $4.1 million, including $737,500 in bonuses as he won his 12th NCAA title. Three-time champion Staley’s was $4.28 million, including $380,000 in bonuses, as she led the Gamecocks to their fifth consecutive Final Four and finished as runner-up.
Also, Golden’s basic annual pay for this season is greater than two other coaches who had more bonus winnings than he did — Clemson’s Brad Brownell ($3.5 million, plus $300,000 in bonuses) and Colorado State’s Niko Medved, now at Minnesota ($1.7 million, plus $240,000 in bonuses).
Below is an itemized, school-by-school list for all public-school coaches whose teams advanced to the Sweet 16 of the men’s tournament, alphabetical by school.
In addition to those, there are 11 coaches with bonus totals ranging from $75,000 to Brownell’s $300,000.
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.
This also does not include bonuses and/or pay increases for assistant coaches, staff and athletics directors that also may be resulting from these achievements.
Amounts for coaches at private schools are not available because those institutions are not required to release their employment contracts.
Alabama’s Nate Oats – $125,000
► $50,000: NCAA Tournament bid
► $25,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance
► $25,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance
► $25,000: NCAA round of 8 appearance
Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd – $115,000
► $20,000: 20 to 24 regular-season wins
► $25,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance
► $50,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance
► $20,000: No. 15 through 11 in final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll or Associated Press media poll
Arkansas’ John Calipari – Contract extension, $250,000 raise
Note: Calipari can get no lump sum bonuses.
► 1-year contract extension, $50,000 raise, beginning next season: NCAA Tournament bid (Agreement set to run through April 30, 2030.)
► Additional $50,000 raise: NCAA round of 32 appearance
► Additional $150,000 raise: NCAA round of 16 appearance
(Scheduled total pay for added contract year now stands at $7.75 million, with $5,437,500 guaranteed.)
Auburn’s Bruce Pearl – $500,000
► $100,000: Southeastern Conference regular-season title
► $50,000: SEC coach of the year
► $50,000: NCAA Tournament bid
► $50,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance
► $100,000: NCAA round of 8 appearance
► $100,000: NCAA Final Four appearance
► $50,000: National coach of the year by National Association of Basketball Coaches and Associated Press (co-coach of the year) – 1 payment awarded
Florida’s Todd Golden – $175,000
► $25,000: SEC tournament title
► $37,500: NCAA Tournament bid
► $37,500: NCAA round of 16 appearance
► $25,000: NCAA Final Four appearance
► $50,000: Win NCAA title
Houston’s Kelvin Sampson – $500,000
► $100,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance
► $100,000: NCAA round of 8 appearance
► $300,000: NCAA Final Four appearance
Note: Sampson’s next available bonus was for team winning NCAA title
Kentucky’s Mark Pope – Contract extension, $50,000 bonus
► 1-year contract extension, $50,000 bonus: NCAA round of 16 appearance
(Agreement set to run through March 31, 2030. Scheduled total pay for added contract year is $6.25 million, with $4,687,500 guaranteed.)
Maryland’s Kevin Willard – $130,000
► $25,000: NCAA Tournament bid
► $30,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance
► $75,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance
Michigan’s Dusty May – $150,000
Note: School has announced it reached new contract agreement with May, but school has not yet released that document.
► $50,000: Big Ten Conference tournament title
► $50,000: NCAA Tournament bid (round of 64)
► $25,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance
► $25,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance
Michigan State’s Tom Izzo – $200,000
► $100,000: Big Ten Conference regular-season title
► $25,000: NCAA Tournament bid
► $75,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance
Note: Izzo’s next available bonus was for team reaching Final Four
Mississippi’s Chris Beard – $200,000
► $100,000: NCAA Tournament bid
► $50,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance
► $50,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance
Purdue’s Matt Painter – $90,000
► $30,000: NCAA Tournament bid
► $30,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance
► $30,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance
Tennessee’s Rick Barnes – $1,200,000
► $200,000: NCAA tournament bid
► $200,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance
► $200,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance
► $200,000: NCAA round of 8 appearance
► $400,000: No. 5 through No. 1 in final AP poll (No. 5)
Texas Tech’s Grant McCasland – $225,000
► $50,000: NCAA Tournament bid, excluding First Four
► $50,000: NCAA round of 32 appearance
► $50,000: NCAA round of 16 appearance
► $50,000: NCAA round of 8 appearance
► $25,000: No. 10 through No. 1 in final AP poll (No. 8)