Coach Nagy | Photo by Scott Galvin
Scott Nagy is one of the biggest names at Wright State University (WSU), leading the Men’s Basketball team as a Head Coach since 2016. Nagy is the highest-paid WSU employee.
Salaries, benefits and reductions
Nagy’s contract has the highest base salary for all WSU employees, including the university president, starting at $500,000 per year.
All coaching contracts list bonuses for the team’s performance both in athletics and academics. Some bonuses will be equal to one month of the base salary, others will be a flat bonus.
For example, Nagy’s contract lists athletics bonuses for being invited to the NCAA Tournament (one-month salary, or $41,666), winning games in the tournament ($10,000 each) and being invited to the post-season NIT (one half of a month of base salary, or $20,833)
In 2019, an amendment added to the contract listed bonuses for the academic performances of Nagy’s players, including a cumulative 3.0 or higher GPA for both semesters ($5,000), and an academic progress score rating of 985 or above ($5,000)
Public statements and material breach
In signing on as a coach for WSU, the contract will not only affect coaches during the term of the contract but also after they leave the University.
“Employee shall keep his public comments about University policies or actions taken by University administrators in a positive tone. Employee shall not, during the Term of this Agreement or thereafter, publicly disparage the University, including its trustees, administrators or employees,” Nagy’s contract says.
If a coach breaks any of these rules, “any violation of this clause by Employee shall constitute a material breach of the Agreement,” according to the contract.
A material breach means that the coach has failed to perform a duty that is pivotal to the contract, which would most likely cause an immediate firing of the coach and the University could attempt to sue for damages.
Termination without Cause and Additional Provisions
The coaching contracts list several reasons for termination such as a breaking of NCAA rules but also includes a section for termination without cause.
“At any time throughout the Term of this Agreement, the University may in its sole discretion terminate Employee’s employment without cause … and shall state an effective date of the termination, which may be immediately as determined solely by the University,” the contract says.
If a coach were to be fired without cause and was given notice beforehand, the university would owe the coach their monthly salary for the remainder of the term, or until the coach found a new job in the NBA, NCAA, or NBDL.
