After suffering 2016 national championship losses to North Carolina, the Maryland men’s and women’s lacrosse teams both rebounded with titles this season.
The men’s team ended a 42-year championship drought with a win over Ohio State, while the women’s team capped an undefeated campaign by beating Boston College.
John Tillman and Cathy Reese, regarded as two of the top coaches in their respective sports, were rewarded with significant contract bonuses. Tillman also received a performance-based contract extension.
Tillman earned a $52,500 bonus for leading the men’s team’s NCAA tournament run, including $25,000 for the title game victory. Tillman also received $12,500 for Maryland’s outright Big Ten regular season title and Big Ten tournament title.
That tally came in addition to a base salary of $275,000 and supplemental annual income of $75,000. In total, Tillman earned $415,000.
Tillman’s contract, signed in July 2016, was extended one year due to Maryland’s Final Four qualification. It now runs through the 2022 season.
Reese took home a $35,000 payout after the women’s team’s championship charge, including $20,000 for winning the title. Reese additionally earned $10,000 for claiming the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles.
Reese earned $170,000 in base salary and $50,000 in supplemental annual income. She received a total of $265,000.
Reese’s contract runs through the 2021 season. It does not include any built-in extensions triggered by postseason success.
Maryland also received payouts from Under Armour for its national championship runs, according to a contract obtained by the Portland Business Journal. The men’s team earned $19,500 in bonuses from the apparel company founded by alumnus Kevin Plank, while the women’s team earned $14,000.
The payouts represent a significant increase in lacrosse funding compared to Maryland’s previous contract with Under Armour, which ran through 2013. That agreement allotted an $11,500 maximum bonus for the men’s and women’s teams.
Since taking over in 2010, Tillman has led his squad to a 96-29 record. He’s reached five national title games and made six Final Four appearances, the most in NCAA lacrosse during his time in College Park.
Meanwhile, Reese is 228-28 in her 11 years at Maryland, during which she has won four national championships and made six title game appearances.