University of Tennessee head coach Matt Kredich has received a two-year extension to his contract. The deal, which previously would have expired on April 30, 2024, will now run through at least April 30, 2026.
“I can’t say enough positive things about the state of Tennessee swimming & diving under Matt’s leadership,” Tennessee Director of Athletics Danny White said. “Two SEC championships in the last three years speak volumes to what he’s built. Matt has cemented the Lady Vols as a perennial top-10 program in the country, and the men’s program is showing impressive progress as he and his staff have added some truly world-class talent to that roster. I look forward to watching both programs continue to excel at the highest levels.”
Kredich’s base pay for the extra two seasons will be $217,000, which matches the pay he receives for the 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024 seasons. His original contract paid $207,000 for the 2019-2020 season and $212,000 for the 2020-2021 season, though he received a reduction during the 2020-2021 season as part of the school’s financial COVID mitigation efforts.
Updated Separation Payment Terms:
If Tennessee terminates the agreement without clause, they will pay Kredich:
- June 1, 2019-April 30, 2023 – $400,000
- May 1, 2023-April 30, 2025 – $200,000
- May 1, 2025-April 30, 20216 – remaining base pay owed
If Kredich terminates the agreement without cause, he owes the school (within 45 days of the termination date):
- June 1, 2019-April 30, 2023 – $200,000
- May 1, 2023-April 30, 2025 – $100,000
- May 1, 2025-April 30, 20216 – $0
Contract Incentives:
Kredich’s contract incentives have not changed in the new version of the contract.
NCAA Achievement – Kredich can receive one of these amounts per contract year:
- Top 5 Finish at NCAAs (men’s team) – 12% of base pay
- Top 5 Finish at NCAAs (women’s team) – 12% of base pay
- Top 10 Finish at NCAAs (men’s team) – 8.33% of base pay
- Top 10 Finish at NCAAs (women’s team) – 8.33% of base pay
- Top 15 Finish at NCAAs (men’s team) – 6% of base pay
- Top 15 Finish at NCAAs (women’s team) – 6% of base pay
- Six athletes competing at the NCAA Championships – 4% of base pay
- Six athletes competing at the NCAA Championships – 4% of base pay
Championship Payments – Kredich can receive all of these bonuses in one contract
- Men’s SEC Championship – 4% of base pay
- Women’s SEC Championshp – 4% of base pay
- Men’s NCAA title – 4% of base pay
- Women’s NCAA title – 4% of base pay
Coach of the Year Achievements – Kredich can receive all of these bonuses in one contract year:
- SEC Coach of the Year – 4% of base pay
- National Coach of the Year – CSCAA or SwimSwam – $5,000
Kredich’s bonuses earned in 2021-2022 season:
- Best NCAA finish – women, top 10 – 12% of base pay ($26,040)
- SEC Women’s Title – 4% of base pay ($8,680)
- Total Bonuses So Far – $26,040 (Plus a potential additional $8,680 as SEC Coach of the Year after his women’s team won the conference title)
Kredich is in his 17th season at the University of Tennessee, starting his career as the women’s head coach before taking over both programs for the last decade. His women’s team has won SEC Championships twice: in 2020 and 2022.
The Tennessee women finished 10th at the 2022 NCAA Championships, while the men finished 18th.
“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have been coaching at Tennessee for 17 years, to work with all of the outstanding people – athletes, coaches and staff – that have helped build this culture and this program, and I’m thrilled at the prospect of being here for at least another five years,” Kredich said. “The support that our past and current administration has given to Tennessee swimming and diving has been essential to our growing success, and the support shown by Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White, Chancellor Donde Plowman and President Randy Boyd going forward is exactly what we need to continue to build a culture that relentlessly pursues and competes for championships at every level. It truly is great to be a Tennessee Vol.”
easiest $2,500 ever made, swimswam. Just name him coach of the year and split it the $5K.
So assuming he has the greatest season in NCAA history, he could get about $91,000 in bonus
Rather it could be $96,000 if they pay $5000 if he wins CSCAA and another $5000 if he wins swim swam coach
Well deserved. Probably the best coach of any sport on Tennessee’s campus.
Tony Vitello might disagree
No one cares. Tennessee will never win ncaas
Wonder why they go all out for SECs when he gets a major bonus if they perform at NCAAs.
The women will continue to challenge for the SEC title the next few years, that’s almost guaranteed. Idk if TN will reach the upper echelon, especially with UVA, Stanford, and TX looking like they’re a definite cut above the rest.
Shoot, the SEC alone had six teams in the top 20. Big10 underperformed, and UF/UL/Bama/NCST are rising faster than TN at the national level.
His bonuses are reasonable, and he’s hitting the one’s he knows are attainable.
The bonus difference is not that significant–and who wouldn’t want his team to go “all-out” for the SEC title? In my view his SEC Championship bonus is too paltry. Four percent is rather cheap. In any case, he’s an excellent coach and an excellent person, by all accounts.
Well, maybe he knows where his roster can get him, and chooses to target SEC, rather than NCAA, because he figures that the SEC Championship will bring more attention, as well as joy to the swimmers, than moving up a few places in NCAA’s. It doesn’t always need to be about they money.
Wonder how many other coaches have an incentive if they win SwimSwam coach of the year! You know your website has made it when this happens!
Has a non title winning coach ever won the award?
A BIT TOO MUCH MONEY IMO…. Freshman take the elevator am I right?
It looks like his extension goes through the 2026-2027 season