After a season that saw him finish third in AP National Coach of the Year voting—behind co-winners Rick Pitino of St. John’s and Bruce Pearl of Auburn—Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey is getting a big raise.
The Cardinals’ head coach, who improved the team from 8-24 in 2023-24 to a 27-8 record in his first season, received approval from University of Louisville athletic director Josh Heird and the athletic board for a $1 million salary increase—from $2.3 million to $3.3 million. With Louisville’s NCAA tournament berth, Kelsey also triggered an automatic contract extension through March 2030.
Louisville Head Coach Pat Kelsey Gets a $1 Million Raise
Kelsey, who was named ACC Coach of the Year in 2025, was also awarded a $50,000 bonus for making the NCAA tournament as an at-large team and a $25,000 bonus for winning the conference coach of the year honor.
Louisville overperformed expectations in Kelsey’s first year, jumping from unranked in the preseason to No. 10 in the AP poll by the start of the NCAA tournament. The Cardinals went 18-2 in ACC play and reached the ACC tournament final, where they lost to No. 1 Duke.
The Cardinals were considered underseeded by many in the NCAA tournament, receiving a No. 8 seed, and lost in the first round to No. 9 Creighton, 89-75.
Under Kelsey, transfer guard Chucky Hepburn was named All-ACC First Team and ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Transfer guard Terrence Edwards Jr. earned All-ACC Third Team honors. Both Hepburn and Edwards were also named to the ACC All-Tournament First Team.
KEEP READING: Louisville’s 2025 Transfer Portal Class
Louisville has already been active in the transfer portal, landing guards Adrian Wooley from Kennesaw State, Ryan Conwell from Xavier and Isaac McKneely from Virginia.
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