UMKC men’s hoops coach Mark Turgeon makes less in salary than Roos’ women’s coach
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Candi Whitaker will earn a $350,000 base salary under a five-year deal.
- Mark Turgeon will earn a $200,000 base salary and can earn up to $167,000 in incentives.
- Men’s NIL minimum is $200,000 and women’s is $150,000.
New UMKC men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon will make a lower base salary than new Roos women’s basketball coach Candi Whitaker.
Whitaker will make close to twice Turgeon’s salary. In respective five-year contracts each signed with the school this offseason, Turgeon will earn a $200,000 base salary while Whitaker brings in $350,000.
Both contract feature similar incentive structures — including extra cash for generating money toward the program. Turgeon can earn up to $167,000 in incentives, while Whitaker can earn as much as another $141,000.
The programs also have similar Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) budgets, with minimums just $50,000 apart.
Turgeon’s contract states a minimum of $200,000 be set aside for “... (NIL) opportunities, revenue-sharing initiatives, and/or related funding ...” for the men’s basketball program. The men’s program’s NIL budget puts the team on par with the rest of the Summit League, Turgeon previously told The Star.
The women’s program will have a $150,000 minimum budget while setting aside at least $50,000 for “game guarantee” contracts — playing host to future opponents.
In 2026-27, the Roos men’s team will play its home schedule at the downtown Municipal Auditorium for the first time since 2019. The women’s team will play at least two games at Municipal and the remainder on campus at Swinney Recreation Center.
Both coaches are in the final stages of formalizing their rosters for the 2026-27 season. The women’s team looks to have mostly transfers while the men’s team will feature eight freshmen. Transfers round out Turgeon’s current 13-man roster.
Turgeon hopes his first squad of Roos, though young, will build a new foundation. They were among the most affordable options on the recruiting trail, but he likes their potential.
“Because of where we are as a program in the NIL stages, we had to sign a lot of young guys,” Turgeon recently told The Star. “They’re a little easier to pay for, but I think we put together a really good group.”
