Ever since becoming the South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team's head coach in 2008, Dawn Staley has turned the program into a dynasty that perennially competes for national titles. This is proven by the three National Championships (two of them coming in the past three NCAAW seasons) and five National Coach of the Year honors Staley has won while there.

On Friday, Jan. 17, the University of South Carolina Board of Trustees approved a contract extension for Staley that will go through the 2029-2030 season and make her the highest paid college women’s basketball coach in the history of the sport.

South Carolina coach was previously No. 3 behind LSU's Kim Mulkey and UConn's Geno Auriemma at $3.1 million/year.