GREENSBORO — UGA is boosting Josh Brooks' pay, moving him up a bit from the bottom tier of SEC athletic directors in total compensation.

The Georgia Athletic Association board of directors Thursday approved the raise and a contract extension that will run through June 30, 2029 during its three-day meeting at the Ritz-Carlton Lodge.

Brooks, who had two years remaining on his contract, will be paid $1.025 million annually with $100,000 increases each year.

“Josh’s performance as athletic director has been outstanding," UGA president Jere Morehead told the board. "We are pleased with the direction of the athletic department under his leadership.”

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Brooks would rank no higher than 10th among SEC public school athletic directors, according to USA Today Sports salary survey. South Carolina's Ray Tanner is just ahead at $1.175 million. Kentucky's Mitch Barnhart is at $1.2 million. Tennessee's Danny White tops all SEC AD's at $2.31 million.

Morehead said Brooks' compensation will be "closer to what would be expected for an athletic director with his experience level in the Power Five. "

The raise and extension comes at the end of a school year in which the football team won its second straight national championship and the athletic program is in reach of a top 10 finish in the Directors’ Cup all-sports metric.

“He’s down to two years remaining on his current contract and all of his peers in the SEC have longer pending contracts," Morehead said after the meeting. "I thought it was important to show to Josh our collective confidence in his performance and our desire that he remain the athletic director at the University of Georgia for an extended period of time.”

Morehead said Brooks will have incentive bonuses for top 20 or top 10 finishes in the Directors' Cup and overall academic achievement. The maximum bonuses would be $100,000.

Georgia’s on-field success has been at times overshadowed by off-field tragedy after the death of football player Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy on Jan. 15 in an early morning car crash after a night of partying.

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That put Georgia athletics under scrutiny and it is facing a lawsuit by Willock’s father and his son’s estate in a wrongful death suit.

Brooks has managed Georgia athletics through the most challenging period of his time as AD since the crash.

“I think he’s been very mature, steady, thoughtful," Morehead said. "We’ve had a great relationship through that process of discussing our response. You obviously never want to go through a situation of that nature but, when you go through it, you want to be working with someone who you have great confidence in making good decisions."

Brooks, who turns 43 Sunday, was being paid $855,000 annually.

Morehead said a year ago that Brooks would likely be in line for a change to his contract terms after this school year.

There was no discussion during the board meeting about fallout from the fatal crash in January, but the board went into executive session for 42 minutes to discuss a matter "protected by attorney/client privilege," and Brooks' extension and raise.

Since the winter board meeting, former UGA star defensive tackle Jalen Carter pleaded no contest after being charged with reckless driving and racing in connection to the crash. Investigators said LeCroy was driving a UGA-rented luxury SUV at twice the legal blood alcohol level and racing when she lost control of the vehicle.

Three other Georgia football players were arrested for driving offenses — two for reckless driving and another for driving under the influence of drugs and driving too fast for conditions.

Brooks was one of six finalists for national athletic director of the year by the Sports Business Journal. He arrived here early Thursday morning after a Wednesday night awards ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Times Square in New York City.

“That is a terrific recognition of superb leadership after two years as our athletic director,” Morehead told the board.

Brooks, who was hired in January of 2021, received a salary increase last summer and his pay was due to rise to $940,000 on July 7 and $1.03 million in July 2024.

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The Bulldogs finished 10th in the 2021 Directors’ Cup and 19^th last year.

“We are likely to finish, likely I say… to secure a top 10 finish,” said Morehead who noted Georgia potentially could finish as the top team in the SEC.

Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee currently are ahead of Georgia before spring sports numbers are tabulated. Brooks is tracking the standings daily and projecting how Georgia may finish.

Besides football, highlights of the sports year include the men’s track team finishing second in the NCAA indoors and the women fifth. The women’s tennis program reached the NCAA semifinals and the men the quarterfinals.

The women’s soccer and volleyball programs both made the NCAA tournament in the same year for the first time ever and softball reached the Super Regionals with a chance still to make the Women’s College World Series.

The men's and women's golf programs each won their NCAA Regionals.

Morehead highlighted that 19 of Georgia’s 21 sports reached national postseason play.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Here's what UGA AD Josh Brooks will be paid after contract extended