Tear up that contract. Cori Close is getting something significantly better.
The UCLA women’s basketball coach has agreed to a new four-year contract that will nearly double her old deal while vaulting her into the top 10 college coaches in her sport in terms of average annual compensation, the California Post learned on Tuesday.
Close’s new deal, which averages roughly $2 million a year in total compensation, comes just one month after she led the Bruins to an NCAA championship and runs through the 2029-2030 season.
“We are extremely proud of what Cori has accomplished in leading our women’s basketball program,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said. “Winning a national championship is a tremendous achievement, but what truly stands out with Cori is the character, leadership and daily commitment she and her staff bring to developing student-athletes into the best versions of themselves. Cori exemplifies true Bruin values and we couldn’t be more excited about the future under her leadership.”
Close’s contract moves her significantly closer to the top tier of women’s college basketball coaches, ranking behind South Carolina’s Dawn Staley (a reported $4.25 million annually), UConn’s Geno Auriemma ($3.79 million), LSU’s Kim Mulkey ($3.35 million) and Texas’ Vic Schaefer (roughly $2.3 million).
Those figures reflect high-level success – Auriemma has won a record 12 national titles, Mulkey has won four (including three at Baylor), Staley has won three and Schaefer has reached the last two Final Fours.
Having just completed her 15th season at UCLA, Close has established her own elite pedigree. She has guided the Bruins to consecutive Final Fours and the program’s first-ever NCAA championship. The title run included victories over both Schaefer’s Longhorns and Staley’s Gamecocks, capping a season in which UCLA (37-1) set school records for wins and consecutive victories (31).
“I am so grateful to chancellor [Julio] Frenk and Martin Jarmond for the opportunity to continue teaching and mentoring the young women who choose UCLA,” said Close, whose 358-144 record makes her the winningest coach in school history. “I love being here in Westwood, and I am so excited for what the future holds.
“I would also like to say thank you to our coaches, student-athletes, support staff, alumni, fans and donors for their belief in our uncommon mission. We would not be where we are today without their support and their commitment to our values. It fills me with such joy to share this with our village, and I hope we can continue to make our Bruin faithful proud.”
Under her previous contract, Close earned a salary of $1.2 million last season before incentives. However, she triggered all 11 performance bonuses – totaling an additional $180,000 – following an epic season in which her team went unbeaten in the Big Ten before rolling through the NCAA Tournament and posting a 79-51 victory over South Carolina in the national title game.
Beyond on-court performance, Close has emphasized the academic and personal development of her athletes. Speaking at a University of California Board of Regents meeting last week, she noted that all six of her players recently drafted into the WNBA have graduated, with three earning master’s degrees.
Despite a demanding travel schedule during Big Ten Conference play, the team maintained a 3.7 GPA during the winter quarter. Her previous contract – which ran through the 2028-29 season – rewarded these results, including a $20,000 bonus for meeting specific academic benchmarks.
