Gophers women’s basketball coach Dawn Plitzuweit gets two-year contract extension

The University of Minnesota extended women’s basketball coach Dawn Plitzuweit’s contract through the 2030-31 season on Thursday, with the Gophers coming off a 25-win season that included a WBIT championship.

The Board of Regents approved the extension, which raises Plitzuweit’s base salary from $800,000 to $900,000.

In a release, Plitzuweit — about to enter her third season as Gophers coach — thanked Athletic Director Mark Coyle and the school.

“Our program is continuing to progress, which is a direct result of the dedicated work of our exceptional staff and special student-athletes,” she said. “I’m incredibly humbled to be able to guide the program in the years to come.”

A native of West Bend, Wis., Plitzuweit led Grand Valley State to a Division II national championship, took South Dakota to the 2022 NCAA Sweet 16 and coached West Virginia to the NCAA tournament in her one season there.

Her contract at Minnesota includes annual increases of $30,000, and her salary ranks ninth among the 17 Big Ten women’s basketball teams whose salaries are reported.

Plitzuweit’s Gophers are 45-27 in two seasons, 13-23 in Big Ten Conference regular season play. Minnesota reached the final game of the WNIT tournament in the spring of 2024.

This spring the Gophers advanced to the final of the WBIT, where they beat Belmont 75-63 in the championship game played in the Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis.

The team has won 20 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2017-18 and 2018-19.

With the entire starting five back from the WBIT title team, plus the return of guard Mara Braun from a foot injury, the Gophers could be in position to vie for the program’s first NCAA tournament berth since 2018. Plitzuweit will receive a one-time, one-year extension if the team receives an NCAA tournament invitation, wins the Big Ten regular season or postseason tournament, or finishes in the top four of the regular season in any contract year.

The team appeared ready to push for an NCAA tournament spot when Braun was first injured during the 2023-24 Big Ten season. Even after Braun re-injured her foot early last season, the Gophers were on or near the NCAA tournament bubble much of the season.

“Dawn has done a tremendous job leading our women’s basketball program,” Coyle said in a statement. “She’s a terrific coach, and she cares deeply about student-athlete development. We have high expectations for our team, and we look forward to Dawn guiding the program for years to come.”