University at Albany men’s basketball coach Dwayne Killings, who is in his first season, is making a base salary of $365,000 on a contract that runs through the end of the 2025-2026 season, the maximum length allowed under state law.
His agreement with the SUNY university also includes up to $6,000 a year for a vehicle allowance, plus up to a dozen season tickets to men’s basketball games, according to a copy of his appointment letter obtained by WAMC under a public records request.
Killings, who was hired in March after the school parted ways with Will Brown after 20 years, can also earn several incentives:
-$5,000 for a regular season America East conference championship, plus $1,000 for each assistant coach
-$10,000 for winning the America East conference tournament and its automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, plus one-12th of the basic annual salary of each assistance coach and director of operations
-$10,000 for an initial NCAA tournament victory plus $1,000 for each assistant coach and director of operations
-$25,000 for each additional NCAA tournament victory within that tournament
-$5,000 for a bid to the NIT
-$2,500 for each win in the NIT
-$1,000 for every win over a Top 25 opponent
-$5,000 for winning Conference Coach of the Year plus $1,000 for each assistant coach
-$2,500 for every academic year when men’s basketball players collectively average a 3.0 GPA
-$2,500 for finishing with a 940 or better multi-year APR (Academic Progress Rate) and another $2,500 for finishing above 1,000
The contract also covers documented travel expenses, including travel for Killings’ family to the NCAA tournament and one multi-team event every two years.
Among other aspects, the agreement stipulates that the men’s basketball program must generate $175,000 a year by scheduling guarantee games, with half of the revenue going to the athletic department and half to be used at Killings’ discretion (except to pad his salary).
If Killings leaves the job between now and March 17, 2025, he would owe UAlbany between $100,000 and $400,000 for early termination. There is no financial penalty should he leave after March 18, 2025. If he leaves for another Division I coaching position, the agreement also requires him to schedule a two-year home-and-home series against UAlbany at his new employer, or requires his new school to pay a $200,000 buyout (or other future consideration) to UAlbany in lieu of scheduling the games.
The employment agreement also allows Killings to conduct up to three weeks of summer camps and clinics in Albany facilities “at its most favorable rates.”
The appointment letter was signed November 28 by Athletics Director Mark Benson and Killings.
Heading into Tuesday’s game against Yale, the Great Danes are 1-6. This is Killings’ first head coaching position. According to SeeThroughNY, Brown was making $394,588 in 2020.
