SEC softball: Alabama, Florida, Texas A&M have league's highest-paid coaches

With the SEC Softball Tournament in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and the league's coaches gathering there, the question begs: Who is the highest-paid coach in the league?

Of the 13 SEC coaches, Texas A&M Trisha Ford, one of the newest coaches in the league, is the highest-paid in the SEC for the 2023 season at $570,000 annual compensation, including her signing bonus of $50,000. Patrick Murphy, who coached Alabama to the 2021 SEC championship and the 2012 national title, has the second-highest per-year compensation of $500,000, including a talent fee of $225,000. Along with Florida's Tim Walton Arkansas's Courtney Deifel and LSU's Beth Torina, they are the five SEC coaches to make more than $400,000.

Compensation information was obtained by the USA TODAY Sports Network from the schools through open-records requests. Totals do not include amounts earned as annual incentive bonuses in other years, the value of standard benefits such as health care or the value of potentially taxable items including, but not limited to, cars or car stipends; country club memberships; game tickets for the regular season, postseason and other sports.

Of the 13 coaches, eight make more than $300,000 while 12 make more than $200,000. Only Mississippi State's Samantha Ricketts makes less.

Karen Weekly, who has coached Tennessee to the SEC regular-season title, has the seventh-highest compensation deal at $340,000. The regular-season title earns her a bonus of $54,400, but this list consists only of standard compensation apart from bonuses.

Vanderbilt is the lone SEC school that does not field a softball team. The league average and rankings will reshuffle when Oklahoma and Texas join the league in 2024, with Oklahoma's Patty Gasso making $1.625 million according to the Oklahoman.

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Full list of SEC softball coaches 2023 compensation

1. Trisha Ford, Texas A&M - $570,000₁

2. Patrick Murphy, Alabama - $500,000

3. Tim Walton, Florida - $460,855₂

4. Courtney Deifel, Arkansas - $450,000₃

5. Beth Torina, LSU - $430,000⁴

6. Rachel Lawson, Kentucky - $405,000⁵

7. Karen Weekly, Tennessee - $340,000

8. Mickey Dean, Auburn - $300,000⁶

9. Larissa Anderson, Missouri - $262,500

10. Jamie Trachsel, Ole Miss - $255,000⁷

11. Tony Baldwin, Georgia - $235,000⁸

12. Beverly Smith, South Carolina - $206,465

13. Samantha Ricketts, Mississippi State - $176,000

1. Ford received a $50,000 signing bonus when she signed her contract. A $50,000 buyout payment to Arizona State is not included in this year's total.

2. Walton received a $90,000 equipment supplement payment and a $4,000 academic incentive payment that are both included in his total. A $75,000 longevity bonus that he will earn if he is still the Florida coach on June 30, 2023, is not included.

3. Deifel's total includes a $100,000 payment for other compensation for speaking engagements, TV/radio and other sponsorships.

4. Torina received a $30,000 media participation payment from LSU. If she is still the coach on June 1, 2023, she will get a $50,000 longevity bonus that is not included in the total.

5. Lawson's total includes a $5,000 media and endorsement payment and a $100,000 longevity payment on August 1, 2022, which is included in the contract year.

6. Dean's total includes a $25,000 endorsement rights payment and a $25,000 personal appearances payment.

7. Total is based on salary specified in state contract. Trachsel may be receiving additional compensation under contract with the Ole Miss Athletic Foundation, a private non-profit organization that declines to release such agreements.

8. Based on total compensation amount provided by university, not an analysis of Baldwin’s contract.

Steve Berkowitz of USA TODAY Sports contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: SEC softball highest-paid coaches: Alabama and Texas A&M top league