CLEMSON — The Compensation Committee on Clemson University’s Board of Trustees officially approved a new contract extension and deal for men’s head basketball coach Brad Brownell on Friday at the Madren Center.

Assistant coaches Dick Bender, Sean Dixon and Billy Donlon were also approved for new contracts through the 2026-’27 season.

Brownell, who led the program to a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance and a year after the program advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in 44 years, had his contract extended two more years, giving him a six-year deal worth $27.5 million.

He received a three-year contract extension in July of 2024 that made his contract length five years for $20 million that was supposed to run through 2029. At the time, Brownell was the fourth-highest paid coach in the ACC and ranked 37th nationally, making $3.5 million.

According to the terms of the new deal, which were obtained by The Clemson Insider, Brownell will make $4 million for the 2025-’26 season and will have his salary gradually increase over the remaining five years to $5 million. He is expected to make $5 million in each of the final two years of the deal.

In 2026-’27 his salary will increase to $4.25 million, then $4.5 million for 2027-’28, $4.75 million for 2028-’29, $5 million for 2029-’30 and $5 million for 2030-’31. His average base salary will be $4.583 million per year through the life of the contract, not including incentives.

“I remain honored and grateful to have led this program for 15 years and for the opportunity to continue to coach and develop young people in both basketball and life at Clemson,” Brownell said in a prepared release from Clemson Athletic Communications. “I’m appreciative of the support from Graham Neff, President Clements and our administration to continue to build upon our success in basketball — on and off the court. I’m proud of the continuity of my staff and the critical role they play in winning, player development and recruiting.”

Brownell can make up to an additional $1.225 million in incentives, which includes a $300,000 bonus for earning the top seed in an ACC Tournament, $200,000 for winning the ACC Tournament, $100,000 for making the NCAA Tournament, $225,000 for making the Final Four, $100,000 for winning a Final Four Game and $300,000 for winning a national championship.

The news of Brownell’s deal was expected on Friday. On March 19, the day before the Tigers were upset in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament by McNeese State, Brownell confirmed reports that he and the school were finalizing a new six-year agreement in his pre-game press conference in Providence, RI.

Brownell is the winningest coach in program history with 292 wins as the leader of the Tigers, earning the 2017-18 Sports Illustrated National College Coach of the Year Award. The Tigers have reached the NCAA Tournament five times, including four in the last eight seasons that have culminated in a Sweet 16 appearance in 2018 and an Elite Eight in 2024 – one of just 20 schools to accomplish those in separate seasons since 2018.

The Tigers won a school record 27 games in 2024-25, including wins over AP Top 5 teams Kentucky and Duke. Clemson finished 18-2 in the ACC – the most conference wins in school history, including a record 15 by double-digits (third-most in ACC history). The Tigers finished 9-1 on the road in league play, four more ACC road wins than any previous season.

The Tigers’ 90-percent win percentage was also a program record in ACC play.

Clemson has won 74 games over the last three seasons, the most in program history, while also posting a .717 (43-17) win percentage in the ACC over that same period – the highest in consecutive seasons in program history. Since 2017-’18, the Tigers are fourth in the ACC in wins (168) and fourth in league wins (90).

This past season marked the third consecutive year Clemson produced an All-ACC First-Team performer (Chase Hunter, 2025, PJ Hall, 2024 and Hunter Tyson, 2023).

Other notes from Brownell’s new deal:

If Clemson University terminates without Cause, it shall pay to Employee the amount designated below relative to the year of the termination, payable over remaining term of contract in regular installments (subject to partial tax acceleration). No mitigation required.

**May 1, 2025-April 30, 2031: 50 percent of remaining Base Salary, Supplemental Compensation, and Deferred Compensation, plus $12,500 per full month remaining (prorated for any partial month).

Should Brownell terminate early to accept another position with duties of or substantially similar to a collegiate head coach, he shall pay within 90 days of termination to Clemson University the amount designated below relative to the year of the termination.

**May 1, 2025-April 30, 2031: 25 percent of remaining Base Salary, Supplemental Compensation, and Deferred Compensation, plus $6,250 per month remaining (prorated for any partial month). Brownell shall notify the Director of Athletics prior to discussions by Employee or his agents for other employment.

Should Brownell terminate employment as head coach prior to the end of this agreement he has the has the option to step down as head coach and become “Special Assistant/Advisor to the Athletic Director” for the remainder of the term of this agreement for a period not to exceed four years at an annual salary of $250,000. He must exercise this option by April 15th of each year. His role as “Special Assistant to the AD” shall include assisting Clemson University (including IPTAY) with fundraising and revenue generating opportunities, while also assisting as an advisor to the Director of Athletics.