Women’s Basketball Coach May Have Salary Doubled

The University of Oregon has proposed a new four-year contract with women’s basketball coach Jody Runge that doubles her salary and promises to promote the women’s sport.

“It’s a new way of thinking,” Runge said Thursday. “Looking across the nation, this is where things are going.”

The proposal is another effort by Oregon to increase opportunities for women, said Dan Williams, the university’s interim athletic director.

Runge had threatened to sue the university for sex discrimination.

Under the proposed four-year contract, Runge will earn a base salary of $80,000 per year, with other revenue that could boost her pay above $90,000. She also will receive bonuses for advancing her team in the NCAA tournament. Her current contract pays a base salary of $48,000.

This past season, the Ducks finished with a record of 18-10 and a first-round loss in the NCAA tourney.