San Diego State football coach gets raise amid rape allegations against three of his players

Following his team's 12-2 finish last season, San Diego State football coach Brady Hoke got a raise and contract extension in March – five months after three of the school's football players allegedly gang raped a 17-year-old girl.

San Diego State athletic director John David Wicker and other school officials did not respond to questions from USA TODAY Sports about whether the rape allegations factored into the decision to give Hoke an extension and raise.

The contract extension – signed by the parties on March 25 – also included an increase in Hoke's total pay that was $100,000 more than the $50,000 raise he previously had been scheduled to receive.

In addition, Hoke received a 7% base salary increase ($23,100) that was in line with what Wicker received and does not require a formal change to his contract. Both of Hoke's increases became effective July 1.

Altogether, he is now making just over $1.2 million for this season, and the contract is set to run through June 30, 2027.

“The raise follows a standard, annual review and market comparison that is done at the end of each competitive year,’’ San Diego State said in a statement provided to USA TODAY Sports. “Each coach, across the 18 sports that San Diego State University Athletics offers, undergoes the same review process.’’

San Diego State did not respond to a question about any impact the rape allegations had on the school’s decision to extend Hoke’s contract and give him a raise.

USA TODAY Sports obtained the contract-extension document and disclosure of the base-salary increase in the course of requesting records and recently checking compensation figures with schools for its annual survey of NCAA Bowl Subdivision football head coaches' pay. The survey was published Thursday.

In November, one month after three San Diego State football players allegedly gang raped a 17-year-old high school senior at an off-campus party, the athletic department brought in a rape survivor to talk to its football team about sexual violence. The rape allegations and scheduling a presentation by Brenda Tracy, a nationally known advocate who combats sexual violence on college campuses, were directly related, Wicker has said.

Wicker did not respond to an interview request from USA TODAY Sports submitted with Jamie McConeghy, Senior Associate Athletic Director of Communications & Media Relations.

With the increase, Hoke is eighth in total pay among the 11 Mountain West Conference coaches for whom pay figures could be obtained.

No arrests have been made in connection to the alleged rape and the incident did not become public until August, when a civil lawsuit was filed by the woman, now 18, who said three players raped her.

One of the defendants is former San Diego State All-American punter Matt Araiza, who was cut by the Buffalo Bills after detailed allegations from the lawsuit triggered outrage. The two other players named as defendants no longer are on the San Diego State roster.

The school has faced criticism for, at the request of the San Diego Police Department, holding off on investigating the matter until the police could complete their investigation.

San Diego State ruled out interviewing football players or taking disciplinary action against any players before receiving approval from the police to initiate its own investigation.

That took more than nine months.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football coach gets raise amid rape allegations against players