Tennesse hires Marshall's Kim Caldwell as new basketball coach in $3.75 million deal

Kim Caldwell agreed to a five-year deal worth $3.75 million to be the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball coach, according to the memorandum of understanding signed Sunday and obtained by Knoxville News Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Caldwell was hired as the fourth coach in Lady Vols history, Tennessee athletics director Danny White announced.

Here is what to know about Caldwell's contract:

Kim Caldwell salary, contract details

Caldwell signed a contract Sunday that will pay her $750,000 annually through March 31, 2029. That figure makes Caldwell the seventh highest-paid coach in the SEC. LSU's Kim Mulkey and South Carolina's Dawn Staley make more than $3 million each.

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Fired Lady Vols coach Kellie Harper was being paid $1.1 million annually. Harper was fired April 1.

Kim Caldwell would become nation's highest-paid coach if she wins a national title

Caldwell's contract includes a clause that would immediately make her the highest-paid coach in Division I women's basketball.

The contract stipulates if Caldwell leads Tennessee to a national title that she would receive a raise before May 1 of that season that would make her compensation "equal or exceed the highest salary of any head coach of a women’s basketball team in Division I of the NCAA based on publicly available salary data on the date of such achievement."

WHAT TO KNOW:Who is Kim Caldwell? What to know about Lady Vols basketball coach

What is Kim Caldwell's buyout?

Tennessee would owe Caldwell 100% of her remaining base pay if she is fired without cause before March 31, 2025. Her buyout drops to 50% of the base pay if she is fired on or after April 1, 2025.

Kim Caldwell is the fourth coach in Lady Vols history

Caldwell was hired to replace Harper, who failed to win big at Tennessee. She went to two Sweet 16s in her five seasons but struggled to recruit and her year-by-year win totals declined for three straight seasons.

Caldwell led Marshall to a 26-7 record with Sun Belt regular-season and tournament titles in her only season in Huntington, West Virginia. She led the Thundering Herd to their first NCAA Tournament since 1997.

Caldwell had been to the NCAA Tournament in each of her eight seasons as a head coach, including seven straight at Division II Glenville State in West Virginia. Caldwell went 191-24 with a national championship in the 2021-22 season and two Final Four appearances.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson.