The University of Georgia and 2021 Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year Joni Taylor have agreed to a new contract extension through 2027 with an increased compensation package, J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks announced Friday.
Taylor’s salary will increase by $100,000 to $850,000 during the 2021-22 season. Her total compensation will be at $925,000 in year six of the contract, not including annual max-potential performance bonuses.
Her previous contract ran through 2024 and was worth $750,000 annually.
“Georgia Lady Bulldog basketball has a rich history and tradition,” Brooks said. “Under Coach Taylor’s leadership, we repositioned ourselves as a national force this year. With our current and incoming talent, this is just the beginning of our sustained competitive success. As the ideal Georgia ambassador, Coach Taylor embodies all of the intangibles in providing exemplary leadership and mentorship. The women’s basketball student-athlete experience at UGA is first class because of Coach Taylor’s commitment to excellence in all that we do.”
“Coach Taylor is a tremendous role model for her team and a great representative of the University of Georgia,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “I look forward to her continued success as our coach for many years to come.”
One of four finalists for the Werner Ladder Naismith National Coach of the Year honor, Taylor led Georgia to a 21-7 overall record this past season. The Lady Bulldogs advanced to the SEC tournament championship game for the first time since 2004 and earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament — its highest seeding since 2007.
In five of Taylor’s six seasons leading the Lady Bulldogs, her teams have exceeded expectations based on the preseason coaches poll. After being picked ninth in the SEC this preseason, the Lady Bulldogs finished fourth in the standings with a 10-5 mark in conference play.
Georgia earned five wins against top-25 teams in 2021, including the program’s first season sweep of Tennessee since 1985 and a victory against No. 2 Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament semifinals.
“I want to thank President Jere W. Morehead, J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks and Senior Deputy Athletic Director Darrice Griffin for their trust and support,” Taylor said. “Georgia is a special place. This is our home, and Darius and I have fallen in love with the Athens community and the wonderful people we get to surround ourselves with every day, both professionally and personally. Today’s announcement continues the positive momentum we built over this last season. I am surrounded by excellence — from our players to our coaches and support staff. There are so many people who give so much to this program, and I am forever grateful to them.”
Led by four senior starters who all earned their undergraduate degrees before the season began, Georgia continued to be a leader in the classroom and the community under Taylor’s guidance. The Lady Bulldogs led all SEC basketball teams (women or men) with nine honorees on the conference’s Academic Honor Roll last winter.
Taylor has been heavily involved in the Athens community. She created the award-winning Beyond Basketball, which established a meeting place for women in Athens to discuss happenings and issues in and around the area.
Under her leadership, two Georgia student-athletes – Marjorie Butler and Haley Clark – earned the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year Award, while six (Shacobia Barbee, Tiaria Griffin, Pachis Roberts, Caliya Robinson, Mackenzie Engram and Jenna Staiti) garnered All-SEC honors.
Taylor succeeded National Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Andy Landers in 2015, becoming just the second head coach in program history. She boasts a 119-65 record in six seasons at Georgia.