Buyouts and bonuses
Tax records obtained by local media have laid bare the financial scale of recent coaching changes at Vanderbilt University, revealing that former basketball coach Jerry Stackhouse received more than $4.7 million in 2024 even though he was dismissed after only three months of the season.
Stackhouse’s compensation package combined a base salary of $1,223,740 with $3,495,761 classified as other reportable income, most likely tied to a settlement agreement that followed a 9‑23 record and the mutual parting of ways in March 2024.
A costly parting
The new head coach, Mark Byington, also saw his earnings reflected in the same disclosures, with a 2024 salary of $2,710,329 that includes a base of $2,477,196 and $100,000 in bonuses; his appointment came in late March, meaning he missed nearly three months of the fiscal year.
The disclosures come despite Vanderbilt’s status as a private institution, which shields full contract details from public scrutiny, and they echo earlier payouts such as the $2,166,660 paid to former football coach Derek Mason across the 2021‑2023 period.
While the university has not released Shea Ralph’s compensation, officials confirmed she does not rank among the five highest‑paid employees, underscoring the selective transparency surrounding athletic staff remuneration.