According to an open records request placed by the Athens Banner-Herald, the University of Georgia will pay out the last two years, over $300,000, on the contract of treminated coach Lizzy Stemke.
According to the termination letter, dated December 1, Stemke is owed about $312,500, which is just over two years of base salary. If she takes another position, Georgia will be able to deduct that salary from what they owe her. Her contract, signed on May 1, 2015, was due to expire at the end of 2018.
Georgia announced the move as a resignation, though the termination letter indicates otherwise. Hired from Nebraska, Stemke led the team for 6 seasons, where her teams compiled a 79-105 overall record and were just 32-80 in SEC play. In her final season, the team started off well with a 12-1 record in non-conference play, but stumbled in the SEC with a 1-17 record. A year prior, the team was 5-25 overall, with an 0-18 record in SEC play. The last two seasons were the worst two conference records in program history.
About 3 weeks after Stemke’s termination, Tom Black was named the program’s new head coach. Black comes from Loyola Marymount, where he took the Lions to 3 NCAA tournaments in 7 seasons – including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2015.
Black, meanwhile, is being paid significantly more than his predecessor. Whereas Stemke’s salary was $150,000 per year, Black is being paid $175,000 per year: – about 16% more than Stemke. The new coach has signed a 6-year contract.
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