The University of California’s Board of Regents celebrated Bruins Head Coach Cori Close at their regular meeting on Tuesday, welcoming Close with a standing ovation.
The Regents invited Close to their regularly scheduled meeting at UCLA to give the coach, who brought the women’s basketball program its first NCAA national title, before meeting in closed session Wednesday to discuss her “contract compensation parameters,” according to a California Post report by Ben Bolch.
Close earns far less than her four opponents in the final four. Texas coach Vic Schaefer reportedly earned $2.3 million; the coach she defeated in the finals, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, has a $4 million salary, the highest of any women’s college coach in the country.
According to Bolch’s reporting, Close’s combined base salary and talent fee was $877,500, but she earned $180,000 is bonuses thanks to her team’s 37-1 record.
With 10 NCAA tournament appearances in her 15 years at UCLA, the first program championship, six WNBA draft picks from the 2026 class, and the 2026 Big Ten Coach of the Year, Close has made ample arguments for her being properly compensated going forward.
Close quoted her team’s director of operations Pam Walker, during her time behind the microphone, telling the Regents how proud she is of the people her players are on and off the court.
“The least impressive thing about this particular team is what they did on the court,” Close said. “It’s really just putting an orange thing in an orange thing when we really strip it all away. And what I love is that they really were committed to growing as people, first, students, second, and actually basketball, third.”
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close honored by UC Regents
Reporting by Logan Chrisp, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
