The University of Toledo and women’s basketball coach Tricia Cullop agreed to a contract extension through the 2024-25 season, the university announced on Wednesday.
Cullop will receive a pay raise and three more years added on to her previous contract, which she signed in 2013 and kept her at Toledo through the 2021-22 season.
Under her new contract, Cullop will make a base salary of $300,000 next season with an additional $10,000 increase each year of the contract.
Cullop made a base salary of $280,000 this season and was due to make $290,000 in next season as her previous deal, like the new extension, called for an annual $10,000 increase in base salary.
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“We’re extremely happy about extending Tricia’s contract to continue the stability and success that she has brought to Toledo women’s basketball,” UT vice president and athletic director Mike O’Brien said. “Tricia is an outstanding coach, and I believe our program is positioned well for the future.”
In addition to her base salary, Cullop will make $20,000 annually in marketing compensation and has several performance-based incentives. With a Mid-American Conference West Division championship, Cullop would receive a bonus of 5 percent of her base salary. A MAC regular season title would also call for a 5 percent bonus.
A trip to the NCAA tournament would call for a 10 percent bonus, with each win adding 5 percent.
A bid in the postseason NIT is a 2.5 percent bonus, with each win adding 5 percent.
The contract also calls for an academic based incentive, with Cullop receiving a 5 percent bonus if the team scores a 930 or greater in the Academic Progress Rate, or if the team is ranked in the final Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 poll.
Also in the new contract are professional recognition incentives, as Cullop would receive a 2.5 percent bonus if she is named MAC coach of the year, 5 percent if she is named WBCA regional coach of the year, and 10 percent if she is named WBCA national coach of the year.
Cullop was originally hired on April 18, 2008, and has accumulated a 202-86 record in nine seasons. The Rockets have averaged 22.4 wins per season and advanced to the postseason on six occasions.
This season, Cullop led UT to the NCAA tournament after winning the MAC tournament for the first time since 2001 and the eighth time in school history. After defeating Northern Illinois in the conference tournament finals, UT lost to Creighton in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The Rockets posted a 25-9 record, a 12-6 conference mark, and won at least 20 games in a season for the fifth time in Cullop’s tenure. Their 25 victories tied for fifth most in school history.
Toledo also led the MAC in attendance for the 27th consecutive season in 2016-17 and ranked No. 27 in the NCAA, averaging 3,744 fans per game.
“It’s been an honor to serve as the head women’s basketball coach at the University of Toledo for the past nine years,” Cullop said. “I sincerely thank [UT President] Dr. Gaber and Mike O’Brien for this extension and the opportunity to lead the program for many years to come. This extension shows our future recruits what a strong commitment there is for Toledo women’s basketball.”
Contact Brian Buckey at: bbuckey@theblade.com or 419-724-6110.
First Published May 18, 2017, 4:19 a.m.
