Former UW-Green Bay men’s basketball coach Linc Darner will receive a healthy settlement after his departure from the program earlier this month.
According to a Green Bay Press Gazette story written by Scott Venci, Darner is guaranteed at least $720,000 as part of the settlement agreement he made with the school.
According to the report, Darner was paid $120,000 on May 21 and is set to receive $120,000 on the first business day in January. He is also set to receive monthly payments of $20,000 from May 1, 2021, through April 1, 2023.
In addition, if Darner has not landed a head coaching or assistant job before that time, he will receive an additional $20,000 per month beginning May, 1, 2023, and going through April 1, 2024.
It is unlikely we’ll find out just why the University decided to part company with Darner. UWGB agreed as a part of the settlement to not disparage Darner and Darner the same.
The University’s chancellor Michael Alexander told the Press Gazette, “We are going to honor our end of the confidentiality agreement. I’m going to follow the spirit of what we agreed to.
“He would certainly have the option to choose (to talk) that would allow us to speak more freely if he wanted to give his version of the story.”
Darner had six years remaining on his current deal and was likely going to continue to be locked in for at least that long or longer. The coach earned a one-year extension each season his team finished in the top four of the Horizon League and two years each time it won a Horizon League regular-season conference championship or a Horizon League tournament title.
Darner also had the option of adding one year each time the chancellor or athletic director left.
The University is still searching for Darner’s successor. Given the large payout of the agreement with Darner and the current climate, there’s a good chance the next coach hired by the school won’t make the $230,000 per year salary that was doled out to Darner each season.