KANSAS CITY, Mo. — University of Missouri Athletic Director Jim Sterk and five of the Tigers’ highest-paid coaches have agreed to voluntary pay cuts amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mizzou announced Thursday night that Sterk along with new football coach Eli Drinkwitz, men’s basketball coach Cuonzo Martin, women’s basketball coach Robin Pingeton, wrestling coach Brian Smith and baseball coach Steve Bieser will accept reduced salaries from May 1 to July 31 due to current economic challenges.
“In the wake of the unprecedented challenges the University of Missouri, our state and nation are facing, collectively we believed it was important to step forward and support President (Mun) Choi and other University leaders at this time,” Sterk said in a statement from MU Athletics. “As leaders, I believe it is important that we lead by example, especially in times of crisis, and this is one way that we can demonstrate that.”
Referring to the department’s “Win it Right” culture, Sterk praised the coaches’ “unselfishness and willingness to step forward in these difficult times.”
“All five of them have impeccable character and understand the role that they play as leaders on our campus,” Sterk said.
The amount of the reductions was not announced, but Sterk makes $1 million per year and the caoches also are well compensated:
- Drinkwitz, $4 million
- Martin, $3 million
- Pingeton, $600,000
- Bieser, $425,000
- Smith, $300,000
