First-year Georgia Tech women’s basketball coach Karen Blair signed a five-year contract April 27 that will pay her an annual salary of $325,000 for her first season with the Yellow Jackets.
Blair, who came to Tech from Maryland, will receive a raise of $25,000 for each of the next five years should she remain Tech’s coach. Blair’s contract renews every May 1.
A native of Michigan and former point guard at Southern Methodist, Blair began her coaching career in 1999 at her alma mater and held positions at Colgate, Texas-Arlington, North Texas and Virginia Commonwealth, before taking a job with Maryland in 2018. She was hired at Tech by athletic director J Batt, who left Tech for Michigan State in June.
Blair takes over a program formerly led by Nell Fortner, who retired in March. Fortner had signed a contract extension in November through 2030. Fortner made a salary of $500,000 for the 2024-25 season and was to make $520,000 this season and $540,000 in 2026-27.
For Blair, she can receive performance bonuses by being named ACC coach of the year ($5,000), winning an ACC regular-season championship ($50,000), winning an ACC tournament ($40,000), making the NCAA Tournament ($15,000), winning an NCAA Tournament game ($20,000 for each victory before a semifinals appearance), an NCAA Tournament semifinals win ($75,000) and a national championship ($100,000). She also can be rewarded up to $30,000 for her program’s academic progress report scores.
Tech allocated Blair $1 million to hire assistant coaches, per the terms of her contract.
Should Blair end her agreement with Tech, “Blair shall make a lump sum payment within 60 days from the effective date of termination: if termination is effective on or before April 30, 2026, in the amount of $2,000,000; if termination is effective on or before April 30, 2027, in the amount of $1,000,000; if termination is effective on or before April 30, 2028, in the amount of $500,000; or if termination is effective on or before April 30, 2029, in the amount of $350,000.”
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