VFL Kellie Harper will take on the role she's always dreamed of -- leading the Lady Vols basketball team as their next head coach.
Harper will be receiving a sizable pay raise from her former position as head coach for Missouri State. She's signed on for the next five years on a $750,000 annual salary.
Let's break that contract down.
The University of Tennessee provided the memorandum of understanding they signed with Harper. According to the contract, Harper's annual salary is composed of her base pay with UT at $275,000, and another $475,000 that comes from compensation for broadcast, endorsement and/or consultation contracts.
Harper's performance as coach could also earn her some incentives. For instance, she could potentially earn an extra $50,000 for taking the team to an SEC regular season championship during her tenure, another $25,000 if the Lady Vols win an SEC Tournament, $20,000 for a NCAA tournament appearance, and $150,000 if the Lady Vols go all the way and become NCAA Champions.
Harper also earns sizable bonuses if she is named Naismith National Coach of the Year or SEC Coach of the Year.
Harper is also being incentivized to help her team perform in the classroom. If the Lady Vols collectively exceed the multiyear national average for the Academic Progress Rate set forth by the NCAA, she earns a cool $25,000 that season.
For every incentive, there are also disincentives to ensure Harper remains with the Vols. If Harper were to leave the Vols without a proper cause before the season ends in April 2021, she'd have to fork over $1 million in separation pay. After that, she'd face a $500,000 penalty for leaving early up until a year before her contract ends.