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Befitting her team’s NCAA championship and undefeated record, South Carolina’s Dawn Staley ended up lapping the women’s college basketball public-school coaching field when it comes to bonuses this season for team performance.

She finishes the season with $680,000 in bonuses, to go with her $3.1 million in basic annual compensation from the school. That’s the maximum she could achieve under her contract.

The agreement includes 11 steps to reach the maximum, beginning with $15,000 for winning at least 11 Southeastern Conference regular season games and ending with $15,000 for the team finishing in the top 25 of either the USA TODAY Coaches poll or the Associated Press media poll. Both of the final polls were published Monday.

In between, Staley gained $100,000 for sweeping the SEC regular season and tournament titles in the same season; $500,000 for the NCAA title; and $25,000 apiece for SEC and national coach-of-the-year honors.

The next-highest bonus total belongs to NCAA runner-up Iowa’s Lisa Bluder, who will pick up $310,000, according to tracking by USA TODAY Sports based on contracts acquired through open-records requests.

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However, in addition to the bonuses, Bluder also is due a pair of one-year contract extensions and a $150,000 pay increase that is set to become effective July 1. The two added years will extend her agreement with the school through June 30, 2031. In combination with the pay increase, they will add $3.85 million to the scheduled value of her contract, with $2.3 million of that guaranteed.

Bluder’s basic compensation from Iowa for her current contract year is $1.4 million.

Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma had the third-highest season bonus total at $262,500. The Huskies lost to Iowa in the national semifinals.

He was followed by North Carolina State’s Wes Moore, whose total increased to $200,000 on Monday when he added $50,000 for the Wolfpack finishing among the top 15 teams in either of the final polls (they were No. 4 in both). N.C. State lost to South Carolina in the national semifinals.

MORE:USA TODAY Sports' searchable database for women's college basketball coaches compensation

Below is an itemized, school-by-school list for all public-school coaches whose teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament round of 16, alphabetical by school.

In addition to those, the top bonus totals belonged to:

Mississippi's Yolett McPhee-McCuin ($105,000); Kansas State's Jeff Mittie ($80,400); North Carolina's Courtney Banghart ($80,000);

Nebraska's Amy Williams ($71,500); Oklahoma's Jennie Baranczyk ($65,000); Ohio State's Kevin McGuff ($60,000); Alabama's Kristy Curry, Kansas' Jeff Schneider and Texas A&M's Joni Taylor ($50,000 each).

The list does not take into account contingencies that could alter or prevent payment of bonuses, such as academic achievement by players, the coach's departure from the school, future investigations and/or sanctions related to rules violations. It also does not include bonuses for national coach-of-the-year honors not yet announced, team academic performance, attendance, season-ticket sales, or the value of tickets or perks tied to tournament participation.

This also does not include bonuses and/or pay increases for assistant coaches, staff and athletics directors that also may be resulting from these achievements.

Amounts for coaches at private schools are not available because those institutions are not required to release their employment contracts.

Colorado: JR Payne - $165,000

Connecticut: Geno Auriemma - $262,500

Indiana: Teri Moren - $125,000

Iowa: Lisa Bluder - $310,000

LSU: Kim Mulkey - $160,000

North Carolina State: Wes Moore - $200,000

Oregon State: Scott Rueck - $99,960

South Carolina: Dawn Staley - $680,000

Texas: Vic Schaefer - $175,000

UCLA: Cori Close - $45,000

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CLEVELAND (AP) — South Carolina has joined an elite group, becoming the 10th NCAA Division I women’s basketball team to go through a season undefeated.

UConn was the last program to accomplish the feat, in 2016, and this year’s Gamecocks team might be the most surprising member of the club. Coach Dawn Staley lost all five starters from last season’s team that went into the Final Four unbeaten before losing to Caitlin Clark and Iowa. This time around, the Gamecocks used their size and depth to beat the Hawkeyes 87-75 on Sunday for the title.

South Carolina had a couple scares throughout the season. The Gamecocks were down at the half to Duke, LSU and Tennessee during the regular season. The biggest threat occurred in the SEC Tournament semifinals when they needed a last-second 3-pointer from Kamilla Cardoso to beat Tennessee and keep the perfect run alive.

The nine historic teams that South Carolina joined:

1985-86 Texas

The Longhorns were the first to go unbeaten, finishing at 34-0. They averaged 83.9 points a game and that was before the 3-point line. Texas cruised through the tournament, winning its first two games by 41 and 26 points. The Longhorns had a scare in the regional final before running through the Final Four with a 35-point win over Western Kentucky and a 16-point victory over Southern California to win the championship.

1994-95 UConn

This was the first of 11 championships for the Huskies. Geno Auriemma’s squad was led by AP Player of the Year Rebecca Lobo. She averaged 17.1 points while shooting 50% from the field. UConn won its tournament games by an average of 25.3 points with the closest contest coming against Virginia, which ended up losing by four.

The Huskies beat Pat Summitt and Tennessee in the championship game.

1997-98 Tennessee

After losing to UConn in 1995, Tennessee won three consecutive titles. The last of them was a 39-0 season when Summitt’s squad was led by the “Three Meeks” — Semeka Randall, Chamique Holdsclaw and Tamika Catchings. Holdsclaw won the first of her two straight AP Player of the Year awards. The Lady Vols capped their historic run with a 93-75 victory over Louisiana Tech in the title game.

2001-02 UConn

This was the beginning of a run of three straight national championships for the Huskies. This team had a star-studded lineup that included five future pros in Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Swin Cash, Tamika Williams and Asjha Jones. The quintet each averaged more than 10 points per game. They ran through the NCAA Tournament, when the only game that was within 18 points was the title victory over Oklahoma.

2008-10 UConn

UConn had two straight undefeated seasons that were part of a 90-game winning streak that broke the UCLA men’s record for consecutive victories. The Huskies were led by the superstar trio of Maya Moore, Renee Montgomery and Tina Charles, who combined to average over 50 points a game in 2009. The team’s closest game in the 2009 tournament was an eight-point, second-round win over Florida. The Huskies steamrolled Louisville by 22 points in the title game. The 2010 perfect run almost ended in the title game when the Huskies trailed Stanford 20-12 at halftime before rallying for a 53-47 victory.

2011-12 Baylor

Brittney Griner led Baylor to its first unbeaten season and the school became the first to win 40 games. Griner had 160 blocks over the course of the season and the Bears had nine Top 25 wins in the regular season. Griner and Odyssey Sims were the stars of the team that helped the Bears win the school’s second national championship. Griner had four double-doubles in the tournament capped by an 80-61 victory over Notre Dame in the title game.

2013-14 UConn

The Huskies had another generation of stars that helped the team win four consecutive titles. This was the second of the quartet and UConn had a balanced offense led by Breanna Stewart, Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis and Stefanie Dolson.

This was the program’s first season in the American Athletic Conference after the breakup of the Big East. The new conference posed little challenge for the Huskies. UConn ran through the NCAAs before facing an undefeated Notre Dame team in the title game. The former Big East rivals had never met in a title game before, and UConn came away with the 79-58 win.

2015-16 UConn

This was the end of an era for UConn as Stewart capped her historic career by leading the Huskies to a fourth consecutive title and 11th overall. She earned Most Outstanding Player honors of the Final Four for an unprecedented fourth straight year. She averaged 19.4 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting nearly 58% from the field. UConn had only one game during the season decided by less than 10 points and went on to beat Syracuse by 31 points in the title game.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket/ and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Dawn Staley is one of the top college basketball coaches in the country — and she also has perhaps the best drip game among coaches as well.

Two days removed from wearing a zip-up jacket and a South Carolina visor as she received the Naismith National Coach of the Year award, Staley went with a Louis Vutton jacket covered with colorful polka dots for the Gamecocks' Final Four matchup against NC State in the Women's NCAA Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. By tipoff, she had a different look, an all-black outfit with a white design.

REQUIRED READING:South Carolina women's basketball live score updates vs NC State in Final Four of March Madness

Dawn Staley outfit vs. NC State in Final Four of NCAA Women's Tournament

Here is what Staley was seen wearing for the Gamecocks' Final Four game against NC State on Friday in the NCAA Tournament as she walking through the team's sendoff in Cleveland:

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For the game itself, Staley had a different look, an all-black ensemble.

South Carolina, once again the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, is coming off a 70-58 win over Oregon State in the Elite Eight earlier this week. The Gamecocks trail the all-time series against the Wolfpack 12-20 but are 4-2 in the Staley era, which began during the 2008-09 season.

Staley and South Carolina look to return to the national championship game after losing in the Final Four last year to Iowa and Caitlin Clark. If the Gamecocks can advance to Sunday's title game, South Carolina will not only get the chance to win their second national title in three years but will become the 10th team in NCAA Tournament history to go undefeated for an entire season with a win.

Dawn Staley knows how to make a fashion statement.

South Carolina’s ringleader is among the fiercest competitors in basketball history. That desire to outmatch opposition transcends beyond the hardwood floor, too.

Staley can routinely be found rocking the finest furs during Gamecocks’ matchups. From Louis Vuitton jackets and Off-White sneakers to retro Cheney State kits and garnet-red clogs, Staley tends to turn the sideline into a runway, especially when the lights are at their brightest.

This year’s NCAA tournament offers Staley quite the stage to showcase her drip. Her side is as dominant as they come, having claimed 32 straight wins heading into March Madness.

That bodes well for a squad primed for another deep tournament run. The more games the Gamecocks play, the more opportunities the masses have to witness Staley's fashion greatness. Fashionistas rejoice!

So, what turns will Staley's style take under the gleaming marquee of the NCAA tournament? The Sporting News is keeping watch on all of Staley's wardrobe choices during South Carolina's March Madness run.

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What did Dawn Staley wear at the 2024 NCAA tournament?

Staley wore a white Gucci hoodie with Gamecocks striping across the front in a V pattern and a brand logo patch for her team's 91-39 win.

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Staley wore a tan Louis Vuitton sweatsuit set and Louis Vuitton sneakers as the Gamecocks sailed past their border state rivals, 88-41.

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Staley wore Louis Vuitton for the second game in a row, this time donning a blue patterned bomber jacket. South Carolina eked out a narrow 79-75 win against Indiana to remain undefeated and advance to the Elite Eight.

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Staley sported an all-black outfit during the Elite Eight, pairing a sleek midnight black Gucci overshirt with what appeared to be leather parachute pants and some matching Gucci sneakers. She added to the impressive attire with some glittering hoop earrings and a collection of different bracelets and wrist wear draped across her arms.

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Staley flashed her style once more on the biggest stage, strutting across the sideline in Louis Vuitton drip during the Gamecocks' Final Four clash with No. 3 NC State on Friday night.

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Staley has increasingly been referred to as "Louis Vuitton Dawn." She made sure to commit to the moniker on Sunday, pulling up the national title game with Louis V from head to toe: the Gamecocks coach sported a silver leather jacket, black sweats and some Louis Vuitton LV skate shoes.

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Dawn Staley outfits history

Staley is among the most en vogue personalities in all of sports. A big reason why? Her commitment to putting that s— on.

Staley is nothing if not a fashion enthusiast, having donned some of the glitziest garb in all of sports. She's rocked high-end brands like Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga and Burberry, stirring up a storm across social media as onlookers scour the web to get a glimpse at her one-of-its-kind regalia.

However, Staley also is a proponent of pair style with substance. She's often used her fashion sense to pay homage to figures that have helped pave the way for her over the course of her Hall-of-Fame career. Staley honored fellow Temple coaching icon John Chaney after his passing in 2021.

She also rocked a vintage Cheyney State jersey, offering younger fans a window into the influence the HBCU (and its Hall-of-Fame tactician, C. Vivian Stringer) had on the modern-day game.

Staley's outfits will certainly be the talk of the town come tournament time. Given her track record, that should only be a good thing.

The Gamecocks didn't mince words after punching a ticket to the title game.

South Carolina beat NC State and punched its ticket to its third national championship in the last seven years behind a dominant third quarter. The Gamecocks led by just one at halftime but outscored the Wolfpack 26-9 in the third quarter to secure a 78-59 win in Cleveland.

"I want to congratulate NC State for making it to the Final Four and making it hard for us," head coach Dawn Staley said after the game. "It was not an easy win, although the score may say differently. But we had to play for 40 minutes in order for us to win the basketball game. I'm just proud of our team to be able to play on this big stage and meet the moment to get us to Sunday."

Senior guard Te-Hina Paopao and sophomore forward Ashlyn Watkins joined Staley at the podium. The Gamecocks trio broke down their dominant showing in the second half and what has motivated them every game of their 37-0 start to the season, among other things.

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Here's what South Carolina said after the Final Four win over NC State:

INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THE WIN OVER NC STATE

Staley: "I just want to congratulate NC State for making it to the Final Four, making it hard for us. It was not an easy win, although the score may say differently. But we had to play for 40 minutes in order for us to win the basketball game. So, I am really proud of them and their effort to get to the Final Four. I'm just proud of our team to be able to play on this big stage, not play our best basketball in the first half and come back out and make some small adjustments and meet the moment to get us to Sunday."

ON WHAT CHANGED COMING OUT OF THE LOCKER ROOM

Watkins: "I feel like we wanted it more than them. Our locker room talk, we wanted it. I could tell by our faces and voices we wanted it more than they did."

Paopao: "We just told each other that we were good. We have been in this position before, and we just have to come out wanting it more, and we did. And we locked in on both sides of the court in the second half."

ON CUTTING TURNOVERS IN HALF AFTER HALFTIME

Paopao: "I contributed four of them. I don't like to see four turnovers next to my name. I'm mad at myself for letting that happen, especially in this type of game. I'll do better. But we knew we just had to do the simple stuff. We were trying to be too flashy. Some of us were trying to be the hero. When we move the ball like we did, it makes the game fun and easier. And we just know we've got to do the simple things."

ON HOW THE TEAM STAYS LOCKED IN AFTER 36 WINS

Watkins: "For me, we have a lot of fun. We know when to be serious. We have a good balance. That balance is what helps us stay locked in. We know we can play around with Coach and each other, but we know when to be serious."

Paopao: "It's very balanced with our team. We know when to take care of business. We know when to have fun with it. We've done a great job so far, and hopefully, we can take care of business on Sunday and have even more fun."

ON THE GAMECOCK'S THIRD-QUARTER DEFENSE

Staley: "I like the fact that we turned up the heat. We put a lot more pressure on them to go deeper in their offense. We put a lot more pressure on the basketball, especially their point guards and the people that were initiating their offense. If you get them to play a little bit outside of their comfort zone, you're disrupting and dictating. We did a lot more of that in the third quarter and that created some easy buckets for us."

ON SOUTH CAROLINA'S EXPANDED DEPTH, ROTATIONS THIS SEASON

Staley: "When you go through a season, especially at the beginning of the season, they're all thinking they should start. They're all thinking they should play. Then, you have to figure out what unit works well together. You've got to come up with the starting five. Our starting five was who we started tonight. Ashlyn Watkins was probably a little disappointed that she wasn't a part of the starting five. But I do think it was the best thing for her development. Sania Feagin probably thought she should have been starting. But it's more about combinations and who plays well together.

"Obviously, Kamilla Cardoso was going to be a focal point for us. Who plays better with Kamilla in November? And now, who plays best with Kamilla in April? Right now, it's Ashlyn Watkins. It's nothing that Chloe is not doing, and it's everything that Ash is doing. Each and every game, we could count on a different player. That was enough for them to build some confidence, even if they didn't play as much as they wanted to play the next game. You don't lie to them. You don't sell them a false dream. They believe it because when their number's called, they come through. It's a luxury to play as many players as we're playing."

Staley: "I give them that space. Whatever it is that can get them to execute and play in practice the way we need to prep for games, have at it. For me, it's about coaching and teaching and figuring out a way to allow our players to have their dreams come true. I don't attach anything to our team besides being disciplined in how we need to play. Whatever Raven Johnson needs to keep her playing at a high confident level, whether it's revenge tour or whatever she comes up with because every day she'll come up with something."