The University of Texas has reportedly extended Athletic Director Chris Del Conte on a six-year contract through 2036 that includes a significant salary increase.
Del Conte, who has overseen notable growth and success within the Longhorns’ athletic program since his 2017 hire, secured a deal that hikes his total annual pay to $3.15 million, marking a significant increase from the previous $2.75 million base salary, according to The Austin American-Statesman.
The current contract that Del Conte is under, which was set to expire in 2030, would have paid him $3.5 million in the final year, but the new deal will give him a raise every year, with a $4.25 million salary expected to be provided in the final year.
Overall, the next extension will increase Del Conte’s salary by roughly $300,000 per year of the current contract, with the newly added years providing an average salary of roughly $3.875 million per year, as reported by 247 Sports.
This new extension will run through June 2036 and ensures stability and continued leadership as Texas aims to elevate its national profile in collegiate sports.
The UT Board of Regents will now be tasked with approving the extension, with the expectation that there will be no issues in this process.
Board of Regents chairman Kevin Eltife discussed the extension on Monday, firmly stating that “Del Conte is the best athletic director in the country.”
“He has brought so much excitement and success back to Longhorn Nation,” Eltife said to The Houston Chronicle.
During his time with the Longhorns, Del Conte has transformed the university back into one of the premier athletic powerhouses in the country.
These improvements resulted in UT being awarded the 2024-25 Learfield Directors’ Cup to recognize the top-performing athletic department in the country, marking just the fourth time in school history that it has received this award.
This recognition comes following a year in which the Longhorns claimed two national titles in men’s swimming and diving and softball, while also finishing in third place in the country across five different sports.
Moving forward, Del Conte has made it clear that he has no plans to look elsewhere for a job, saying that he believes this will be his last job.
“That’s the intent. I don’t think there’s a greater place to work in college athletics than the University of Texas. I have no desire to work anywhere else,” he said, per The Houston Chronicle.