LSU Approves Lucrative Contract For Nikki Caldwell

BATON ROUGE — LSU athletic department officials scoffed at early media reports of new women’s basketball coach Nikki Caldwell’s $900, 000 salary back in April when she was hired. They said her salary would be closer to $700, 0, and she could only make $900, 000 if she hit all of her incentive clauses and won the national championship.

Actually, Caldwell could make $1.2 million in a year if she earns all her bonus money, including winning the national title, according to the contract the LSU Board of Supervisors unanimously approved on Friday at its monthly meeting.

Caldwell, whom LSU hired away from a $350, 000 salary at UCLA, will make a $700, 000 base and could make as much as $550, 000 in bonus money, including $50, 000 in academic incentive compensation.

“We’re very excited to have Nikki Caldwell as our women’s basketball coach, board member Laura Leach of Lake Charles during the meeting. We’re thrilled to death, and we want to thank the athletic department for this investment into women’s basketball.”

The more Caldwell wins, the more that investment will be. A Southeastern Conference regular season championship will earn her a $50, 000 bonus. A SEC Tournament title will garner another $50, 000. So will a NCAA Tournament appearance. A finish in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament will mean another $50, 000.

A Final Four appearance will give her $50, 000. Winning a national championship will mean $100, 000.

Being named SEC coach of the year by a vote of the league coaches will grant her $50, 000 and winning a national coach of the year award will mean another $100, 000.

Caldwell’s base salary is split in two — $350, 000 for coaching and $350, 000 for radio, television, Internet and other public appearances, which she has already been doing often.

“She’s certainly very visible, board member and athletic committee chairman Stanley Jacobs said during discussion of the contract.

If you’ve noticed, Nikki Caldwell is everywhere in the public eye, LSU Chancellor Mike Martin said.

Last month, Caldwell was the surprise speaker at a retreat for 50 principals of the East Baton Rouge Parish school system. In May, she cruised for a cause” on her Harley Davidson motorcycle on the West Coast for breast cancer. On Tuesday, she will host “Lady Tiger Lagniappe” — a meet and greet for fans at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

“What we have here is a wonderful representative of the university, Martin said. There’s not an event she won’t attend.”

Caldwell was not at Friday’s board meeting, however.

“I understand she’s bought a purple and gold motorcycle, Martin said. Van Chancellor (the former coach who was reassigned) left Nikki Caldwell in very good shape, but we also have a wonderful person as a representative of LSU.”

LSU Approves Lucrative Contract For Nikki Caldwell

The Advertiser (Lafayette, La.), Glenn Guilbeau

http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20110716/SPORTS/107160316/LSU-approves-lucrative-coaching-contract

BATON ROUGE — LSU athletic department officials scoffed at early media reports of new women’s basketball coach Nikki Caldwell’s $900, 000 salary back in April when she was hired. They said her salary would be closer to $700, 0, and she could only make $900, 000 if she hit all of her incentive clauses and won the national championship.

Actually, Caldwell could make $1.2 million in a year if she earns all her bonus money, including winning the national title, according to the contract the LSU Board of Supervisors unanimously approved on Friday at its monthly meeting.

Caldwell, whom LSU hired away from a $350, 000 salary at UCLA, will make a $700, 000 base and could make as much as $550, 000 in bonus money, including $50, 000 in academic incentive compensation.

“We’re very excited to have Nikki Caldwell as our women’s basketball coach, board member Laura Leach of Lake Charles during the meeting. We’re thrilled to death, and we want to thank the athletic department for this investment into women’s basketball.”

The more Caldwell wins, the more that investment will be. A Southeastern Conference regular season championship will earn her a $50, 000 bonus. A SEC Tournament title will garner another $50, 000. So will a NCAA Tournament appearance. A finish in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament will mean another $50, 000.

A Final Four appearance will give her $50, 000. Winning a national championship will mean $100, 000.

Being named SEC coach of the year by a vote of the league coaches will grant her $50, 000 and winning a national coach of the year award will mean another $100, 000.

Caldwell’s base salary is split in two — $350, 000 for coaching and $350, 000 for radio, television, Internet and other public appearances, which she has already been doing often.

“She’s certainly very visible, board member and athletic committee chairman Stanley Jacobs said during discussion of the contract.

If you’ve noticed, Nikki Caldwell is everywhere in the public eye, LSU Chancellor Mike Martin said.

Last month, Caldwell was the surprise speaker at a retreat for 50 principals of the East Baton Rouge Parish school system. In May, she cruised for a cause” on her Harley Davidson motorcycle on the West Coast for breast cancer. On Tuesday, she will host “Lady Tiger Lagniappe” — a meet and greet for fans at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

“What we have here is a wonderful representative of the university, Martin said. There’s not an event she won’t attend.”

Caldwell was not at Friday’s board meeting, however.

“I understand she’s bought a purple and gold motorcycle, Martin said. Van Chancellor (the former coach who was reassigned) left Nikki Caldwell in very good shape, but we also have a wonderful person as a representative of LSU.”