Dawn Staley is now the highest-paid women’s basketball coach in the country.

South Carolina’s Board of Trustees approved new contract extension for Staley on Friday that will pay her $4 million a season. Staley’s new annual salary marks raise from the $3.2 million she was making this season.

And she’ll receive an immediate one-time bonus of $500,000.

The new deal runs through April 15, 2030 and jumps to $5 million annually and $5.25 million in the 2028-29 and 2029-30 seasons, respectively.

The contract extension comes nine months after Staley led the Gamecocks to the program’s first undefeated season and a national championship win, the third title of her career. South Carolina is 457-107 during Staley’s 17 years seasons at the helm of the program and 126-4 in the last four seasons alone.

Staley’s new salary puts her ahead of UConn’s Geno Auriemma, who signed a signed a five-year, $18.7 million extension in June after earning $3.1 million in 2023-24, and LSU’s Kim Mulkey, who signed a 10-year, $36 million dollar extension in 2023 that made her the sports’ highest-paid coach at the time.

college hockey

Third-ranked Gophers women top Mavericks

The No. 3-ranked Minnesota women’s hockey team had little difficulty defeating Minnesota State at Ridder Arena.

The Gophers scored multiple goals in each period to skate away with an 8-3 defeat of the visiting Mavericks.

Gracie Graham scored twice for Minnesota (18-5-1) in the one-sided victory, with Emma Kriesz, Josefin Bouveng, Peyton Hemp, Ella Huber, Abbey Murphy, and Chloe Primerano also lighting the lamp once apiece.

The Gophers host MSU (10-12-1) again at 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

Tommies women bested by top-ranked Badgers

The St. Thomas women’s hockey team allowed No. 1-ranked Wisconsin two goals a period in a 6-1 loss to the visiting Badgers at St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights.

Wisconsin (22-1-1) took the initial lead early in the first period, but the Tommies (5-15-2) leveled the score at 1 on a power-play goal by Lauren Stenslie.

It was all Badgers from there, however, as the visitors re-took the lead by the end of the first period before adding four more scores over the final two periods in the win.

Wisconsin and St. Thomas play again Saturday, with puck drop scheduled for 3 p.m.

St. Thomas men best Lakers in overtime

Luc Laylin’s strike at 1:52 of the overtime session gave the St. Thomas men’s hockey team a 4-3 overtime victory at Lake Superior State.

The Tommies (8-10-4) took a 2-0 lead on scores by Caige Sterzer and Liam Malmquist after the first period, but the Lakers (9-12-1) evened the score with a two-goal second frame.

State seized a 3-2 lead early in the third, but Jake Braccini’s goal with just under two minutes in regulation leveled the score and sent the game into the extra session.

The two teams face off again at 6 p.m. Saturday.

wrestling

NCAA adds women’s wrestling as sport

The NCAA added women’s wrestling as a sport, bringing its total number of championships to 91.

The sanctioning body approved the addition at the annual convention in Nashville, Tennessee.

Women’s wrestling had been under the “emerging sports for women” banner. Now, female athletes from Division I, II and III will compete against each other for titles. The NCAA’s first women’s wrestling championship will take place in 2026.

There were 76 women’s wrestling programs across NCAA schools in 2023-24, with projections pointing to an additional 17 programs in 2024-25. More than 1,200 female wrestlers are competing at NCAA schools today, and 45% of those student-athletes come from diverse or international backgrounds.

The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics recommended in February that the NCAA top divisions sponsor legislation to move women’s wrestling to championship status. The NCAA Board of Governors also approved $1.7 million in funding in April to establish the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships.

Women’s wrestling is the sixth emerging sport to earn NCAA championship status.

GOLF

Hoffman, Hoey tied for American Express lead

Charley Hoffman knows his time on the PGA Tour is running short. He can feel every one of his 48 years whenever his troublesome back acts up, and he knows the recent reduction in tour cards will end most players’ careers well before they reach his age.

Hoffman isn’t done swinging just yet, however.

Back home in Southern California, he battled his way into a share of the lead Friday at The American Express, a tournament he won 18 years ago — and he’s determined to keep fighting until his time runs out.

Hoffman and Rico Hoey both shot 9-under 63 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course to share the lead after two rounds in the Coachella Valley desert.

Hoffman and Hoey were at 16-under 128 midway through this three-course tournament, although both Southern California natives have yet to play PGA West’s tougher Pete Day Stadium Course.

alpine skiing

Vonn returns to training after crash

Lindsey Vonn took it easier in downhill training on Friday a day after crashing for the first time of her World Cup comeback at age 40.

Vonn finished more than three seconds behind leader Sofia Goggia of Italy on the Olympia delle Tofane course. Still, she almost lost control landing a jump midway down before recovering her balance.

Vonn said that she had only a sore bum and a broken boot after losing control near the end of her run on Thursday.

“I don’t think my crash had any impact on my expectations for the weekend,” Vonn added Friday. “I hope I can put everything together tomorrow but this is only my fourth race back and I’m not expecting anything of myself, only to ski well and enjoy being back in Cortina one more time.”

— From news services