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While the Regents voted on ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s contract proposal without any questions being asked, Burke took the microphone to express appreciation during the meeting held at UA’s Grand Challenges Research Building.

“This is not an opportunity that I take lightly by any means,â€� Burke told the Regents. “I understand the importance of this position. It is our goal to graduate champions, both on and off the floor, (so) by the time they’re done in our program here at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, to be the best ambassadors for this program, for this university, here in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, and across the country.â€�

The school-paid compensation includes a $325,000 base salary plus $350,000 for “additional duties.� Burke has been scheduled to receive a $25,000 signing bonus and will receive $25,000 annual salary escalators through 2029-30, when she is scheduled to be paid $750,000.

In its proposal to the Regents, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ said Burke’s salary, additional duties pay, signing bonus and a $100,000 retention bonus (if reached in 2028) would all be paid with university-generated funds.

The deal offers Burke more than double what she received at Buffalo, which paid her $275,014 in total school-paid compensation in 2024-25, according to the Buffalo ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ said it will pay Buffalo the $300,000 buyout for leaving between April 5 this year and April 6, 2026.

The contract effectively saves ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ $625,000 over the $1.3 million that Adia Barnes was scheduled to earn in 2025-26 before she left to become SMU’s head coach. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ also is contracted to receive an offsetting buyout of $300,000 from Barnes or a third party for leaving between July 2, 2024, and July 1, 2025.

Other conditions of Burke’s proposed agreement include the $100,000 retention bonus if she is still employed and in “good standing with the university� as of April 1, 2028, and a maximum salary pool of $900,000 to offer her assistant coaches. She was contracted to receive up to $20,000 in moving expenses.

In addition, Burke can also earn up to $140,000 annually in academic and performance bonuses that include $45,000 if her team posts a cumulative 3.69 grade-point average and between $10,000 and $50,000 from NCAA Tournament play, depending on finish.

Under the five-year deal Barnes signed after leading the Wildcats to the 2021 national championship game, Barnes was eligible to earn up to $305,000 annually in performance and academic bonuses.

However, Barnes did not earn any performance incentives in 2024-25 on top of her $1.25 million salary, with the Wildcats finishing 19-14 and failing to reach the NCAA Tournament.

Barnes was paid a $1 million base salary in 2021-22, then $1.1 million in 2022-23, $1.2 million in 2023-24 and $1.25 in 2024-25, with an additional $50,000 bump scheduled for next season had she returned.

Barnes’ compensation included a combined total for salary and additional duties, while it is separated for Burke. UA men’s basketball coach Tommy Lloyd receives a separate $700,000 for additional duties annually on top of what was a $4.15 million base salary this season.

Lloyd also receives $200,000 each from Nike and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Sports Enterprises (radio), but agreements for Barnes and Burke have not had similar deals noted.