Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman received a contract extension through 2036 after the university’s board of trustees approved a new deal Thursday.
Under the new terms, Whitman will receive a base salary of $2.15 million in the upcoming school year and will get a salary bump of $100,000 every year until 2035-36, when a $200,000 bump will put his salary at $3.15 million.
Whitman will receive an annual retention bonus of $500,000 if he remains employed through June 30 of each year. He is also eligible for performance incentives.
The contract may be extended in one-year increments through 2039 if “triggering events related to football and men’s basketball competitive success are satisfied,” according to the agenda item from the board meeting.
Illinois hired Whitman in February 2016 and previously amended his contract in November 2019, May 2022, November 2023 and September 2025. The latest adjustments come after several Illini teams achieved notable success in 2025-26.
The men’s basketball team reached the Final Four for the first time in 21 years, and the football team set a program record with 19 wins over the last two seasons. Illinois is the only Division I school whose football team won bowl games and men’s and women’s basketball teams won NCAA Tournament games in each of the last two seasons.
Multiple other programs were among the top 15 nationally, including the women’s track and field team, which finished third at the NCAA indoor championships.
According to the board minutes, Illinois athletics will set a revenue record for the fourth straight year, surpassing $200 million for the first time.
Whitman also has become a prominent voice in college athletics during his time at Illinois and serves as chair of the NCAA Division I Cabinet.
At the same meeting, the board approved a contract extension for Illinois-Chicago men’s basketball coach Rob Ehsan through 2030. Ehsan, who led UIC to a 19-16 record and an NIT berth, will earn $544,846 in 2026-27.
