Newly appointed WKU Men’s Basketball Head Coach Steve Lutz will be guaranteed an annual base salary of $650,000 and up to an additional $400,000 in bonuses for team performances on the court and in the classroom, according to a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding Offer obtained by The Herald in an open records request. 

The salary is the same base pay former head coach Rick Stansbury received during his time on the Hill. Additionally, Stansbury is being awarded $500,000 upon resignation. 

Stansbury stepped down from the head coaching position after a disappointing 2022-2023 season and no appearances in the NCAA Tournament during his seven years at WKU.

WKU will be buying Lutz out of his contract with Texas A&M Corpus Christi, where he previously held the head coaching position. Lutz will also receive either a vehicle or vehicle stipend and reimbursements for moving expenses provided by WKU.

Information regarding the vehicle stipend, moving expenses and Lutz’s Corpus Christi’s contract buyout have not been made available.

“We have released the MOU and will not be able to comment further until the Board of Regents approves the contract at its April 14 meeting,” WKU Athletics said. 

WKU Athletics has no other information to share at the moment.

Lutz was hired by WKU following Corpus Christi’s loss to the University of Alabama in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. 

Prior to coaching at Corpus Christi, Lutz acted as Creighton University’s assistant coach from 2010-2017 and Purdue University’s assistant coach from 2017-2021.

Sports editor Molly St. Clair can be contacted at [email protected].