Lady Vols basketball coach Kim Caldwell is one of the highest-paid coaches in the nation after her first season at the helm.
Caldwell agreed to a one-year contract extension on March 31 – two days after leading Tennessee to the Sweet 16 – that runs through the 2029-30 season
The extension was finalized in late June, and it raises Caldwell’s annual salary to $1 million. Her original base pay was $750,000, which made her the seventh-highest paid coach in the SEC at the time.
Caldwell replaced Kellie Harper, who made $1.1 million in her fifth season at Tennessee before she was fired
Caldwell’s new contract makes her one of six coaches in the SEC making at least $1 million per year. Fewer than 20 women’s basketball coaches across the country made $1 million annually as of March 2024, according to the USA TODAY head coach salary database.South Carolina coach Dawn Staley tops the country after her contract extension in January that set her annual salary at $4 million with an annual $250,000 escalator.Before that, LSU coach Kim Mulkey led the nation in 2024 at $3.26 million. The next highest-paid coach in the SEC is Texas’ Vic Schaefer ($2.3 million), followed by Texas A&M’ coach’s Joni Taylor ($1.5 million) and Ole Miss’ coach’ Yolett McPhee-McCuin ($1,087,500).
Caldwell’s original contract contains a clause that will make her the highest-paid coach in the nation if she wins a national championship.Caldwell led Tennessee to a 24-10 record in her first season. The Lady Vols reached the Sweet 16, where they lost to No. 1 seed Texas in Birmingham, Alabama. Caldwell also led Tennessee to an upset of UConn, which went on to win the national championship.
Kim Caldwell contract extension includes updates to family travel, private aircraft allowance
The extension amended the section on travel for Caldwell’s family. While her original contract included travel for her spouse and immediate family members, her extension also allows for “one pre-disclosed, documented child caregiver” to travel as well. Caldwell gave birth to her son, Conor Scott Caldwell, on Jan. 20.There’s also an update to the amount of trips Caldwell can take on a private or charter aircraft “for coach’s personal, non-business travel, and/or that of coach’s guests and/or family.” Her original contract allowed for up to three round-trip flights or six occupied legs. The extension upped that to 10 occupied legs or 15 occupied hours of flight time, whichever comes first.
Caldwell was recently in Los Angeles at the Sparks game for Lady Vols legend Candace Parker’s jersey retirement. She also visited with former Lady Vols Rickea Jackson, Rae Burrell and Mercedes Russell, who all play for the Sparks.
Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on X @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.
