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Men’s basketball: Rana fourth-highest paid Ontario university coach in 2016

By Daniel Rocchi

Only three Ontario university coaches earned more money in 2016 than Ryerson men’s basketball head coach Roy Rana, according to TSN correspondent Rick Westhead.

Westhead tweeted a spreadsheet on Friday of the top 11 coach’s salaries from the 2016 Sunshine list—the annual list of Ontario’s public sector employees earning $100,000 or more.

Rana was fourth on the list of coaches with a before-benefits salary of $133,310.64. Including benefits, Rana earned $133,716.

Rana was on sabbatical during the 2015-2016 season. Lead assistant coach Patrick Tatham took over the head coaching position on an interim basis.

The Rams went 17-2 during the 2015-2016 regular season, winning the program’s first Wilson Cup championship, which was also the first Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship in any sport in Ryerson history. Tatham is not on the 2016 Sunshine list.

Rana was named the head coach of Ryerson’s men’s basketball program in 2009. The Rams were 37-117 in the six regular seasons immediately preceding his hiring.

The Rams have a 116-49 regular season record in the Rana era, including three 17-2 finishes in the past three seasons. They have advanced to the Wilson Cup final three times during Rana’s time at Ryerson, winning in 2016 and 2017. The Rams have made four national tournament appearances since 2009, winning bronze in 2015—the first national medal for Ryerson in any sport—and again in 2016.

In March, Rana led the team to a silver medal at the U Sports national tournament, marking the best finish in program history.

This is Rana’s third consecutive year on the Sunshine list. He earned $106,721.38 in 2014 and $129,307.88 in 2015. Both those figures include benefits.

Carleton Ravens men’s basketball head coach David Smart was the highest-paid Ontario university coach in 2016, earning $156,790.91. None of that was paid as benefits. The Ravens have won the last seven national championships and six of the last 10 OUA championships.

University of Ottawa head football coach Jamie Barresi and Western’s head football coach Greg Marshall were the second- and third-highest paid coaches, respectively. Barresi earned $146,446.80, including benefits. Marshall was paid $142,785.44, including benefits.

All of the top 11 highest-paid coaches were men. Andrew Sparks, the head coach of Ottawa’s women’s basketball team, was the only coach of a female team to make Westhead’s list. Sparks earned $113,336.53 in 2016. None of that was paid as benefits.

John Campbell, the head coach of the University of Toronto’s men’s basketball team, was the only other coach from a Toronto-based institution in the top 11. In 2016, Campbell earned $109,187.76, including benefits.

Ivan Joseph, Ryerson’s director of athletics, earned $190,289.45—including benefits—in 2016.

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