Stewart’s pay increased to $298,000 a year as WKU athletics director

Athletic+Director+Todd+Stewart+and+football+head+coach+Tyson+Helton+stand+on+the+sideline+at+practice%2C+Aug.+17%2C+2020

Athletic Director Todd Stewart and football head coach Tyson Helton stand on the sideline at practice, Aug. 17, 2020

Makaio Smith, Staff Writer

The WKU Board of Regents approved the salary increase for the athletic director and the head coach of softball, and the philanthropic naming for the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) to Century Park.

Todd Stewart, Athletics Director, received a $24,000 salary increase bringing his salary to  $298,000 from $274,000.

According to information given to the board, since being named athletic director in 2012 Stewart has:

  • 48 total conference championships captured by 12 different sport programs.
  • 16 NCAA Tournament appearances by volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, softball.
  • Eight Football Bowl Subdivision bow appearances, with five wins.
  • 2020 volleyball NCAA Sweet 16
  • 2018 men’s basketball NIT final four, 2021 NIT final eight.
  • National top 25 final rankings in volleyball (2012, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021), football (2015, 2016), men’s track (2014).
  • 948 student-athletes have obtained their degrees.
  • Over $8 million committed to capital projects.

“We’re proud that Todd has been recognized nationally for the work he does for us,” Timothy Caboni, president of WKU, said.

Amy Tudor, WKU softball head coach, received a $15,000 salary increase, bringing her pay to $94,456. She will receive a $10,000 retention bonus if she remains the WKU head softball coach on October 1, 2024.

Tudor has been the head softball coach for nine seasons at WKU. During her time she has led the WKU: softball team to:

  • Winning the 2021 Conference USA Tournament it hosted – becoming the first team in C-USA to host and win the event since 2011.
  • Four championship titles under Tudor’s belt since returning to the Hill, including a regular-season and tournament crown in WKU’s first year in Conference USA.
  • Win the C-USA East Division title with an 18-6 record in league play.

The ROTC training facility will be named Century Park, named after the 100th commissioned class and in recognition of gifts from ROTC alumni in support of the ROTC program.

 

Makaio Smith can be reached at [email protected].