Kentucky rewards softball coach Lawson with new contract, raise
A month after leading the University of Kentucky softball team to its eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and being named Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year, Rachel Lawson was rewarded with a new five-year contract.
UK this week released details of the new pact, which was signed June 30.
Under the new contract, Lawson receives a raise averaging $84,500 per year. The contract also offers incentive bonuses for winning SEC regular-season and tournament championships, advancing to NCAA Tournament regionals, super regionals and the College World Series, and for achieving team academic goals.
Lawson’s salary will escalate $10,000 each year of the contract, starting at $210,000 per year in 2016-17 and ending at $250,000 per year in 2020-21, with a total value of $1,150,000.
In May, Lawson completed her ninth season at Kentucky, going 46-14 and reaching the NCAA Tournament regional finals. Lawson went 3-25 in her first season at Kentucky in 2008 and has finished .500 over better in every year since. The Wildcats finished 50-19 and made the school’s first-ever College World Series appearance in 2014.
Lawson’s first contract paid her $86,000 per year. Her next contract delivered a raise to $145,500.
“She’s got a real inner drive that makes her unique,” Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart told the Herald-Leader’s John Clay in May. “She loves the university. She’s a great ambassador for us. And oh, by the way, she’s a really good softball coach.”
More UK contracts
UK also posted contracts signed recently by head coaches in several other sports.
Men’s soccer coach Johan Cedergen signed a contract that will take him through the next five seasons. Rifle coach Harry Mullins received a four-year deal. Gymnastics coach Tim Garrison and women’s tennis coach Carlos Drada inked three-year contracts. UK also agreed to contracts with several assistant coaches.
This story was originally published July 20, 2016 at 7:15 PM with the headline "Kentucky rewards softball coach Lawson with new contract, raise."