MINNEAPOLIS -- Pam Borton has a buyout clause in her five-year contract as Minnesota's new women's basketball coach, but she says the school won't have to use it.

	Gophers coach Pam Borton shows off her new school colors.

"I'm going to be here unless someone throws me out,'' Borton said Friday after she was hired as the Golden Gophers' third coach in as many seasons.

Borton, an assistant at Boston College for the past five years and a former head coach at Vermont, replaces Brenda Oldfield -- who led Minnesota to its first NCAA Tournament berth in eight years before leaving for Maryland last month.

The Gophers return every regular from their 22-8 team this season, but the uncompleted search for a new athletic director to lead the recently merged men's and women's departments and pending NCAA sanctions scared off some of outgoing women's AD Chris Voelz's top choices.

Two days ago, Denver coach Pam Tanner withdrew from consideration, and former Southwest Missouri State coach Cheryl Burnett decided not to take the job after it was offered two weeks ago.

But Voelz insisted Borton wasn't a last resort. The two discussed the job in April, and Borton met with university president Mark Yudof and vice president Tonya Moten Brown.

"All the background was already done,'' Voelz said. "We didn't just fill the position. We found a winner.''

Borton, 36, will be paid a base salary of $150,000, with incentives -- tied to season-ticket sales, players' grades, coaching awards and landing top in-state recruits -- that would push her annual income close to $300,000 if they are met.

The contract, which ranks in the middle of the Big Ten according to Voelz, includes a $100,000 buyout clause if she were to leave early -- as Oldfield did.

Borton's biggest challenge will be getting the players to believe in another staff's system.

"I think the most important thing is to develop a rapport,'' Borton said. "I know they're going to be apprehensive. They have to trust me, but we're going to be a stronger team because of that.''

Said guard Lindsay Lieser: "She seems very sincere. In my heart, I believe she's going to be here. She's going to be a good fit. It was a long process, but it's great to finally have a coach.''

Voelz was attracted to Borton because of Borton's ties to the Midwest (she was a star for Defiance College in Ohio from 1983-87), her preference for playing an up-tempo style (something the players enjoyed under Oldfield) and her experience with winning teams (Boston College went 102-51 during her time under coach Cathy Inglese and she led Vermont to a 69-46 record, a conference title and an NCAA Tournament berth in her four years as head coach there).

"I think nobody is going to outwork Pam Borton,'' Voelz said. "She can compete with anybody. We will not miss a beat.''

Borton is stepping into some uncertainty off the court. In April, the university decided to merge men's and women's athletics over the protest of several women's teams. A new athletic director must be found for a department with a severe money shortage.

Also, penalties are expected soon from the NCAA for a pattern of rule-breaking under Oldfield's predecessor, Cheryl Littlejohn, that included giving money to a player, buying clothing for others and interfering with an earlier investigation by telling players to lie.

The school doesn't expect the punishment to be severe -- it could range anywhere from a reduction in scholarships to probation to a ban on postseason competition.

"It's a concern, but it's not in my control,'' Borton said.

One of Borton's top priorities will be making sure the Gophers avoid losing the state's top prep talent to conference rivals. Immediately after her introductory news conference, Borton said she'd be on the phone with recruits.

"I don't know who wouldn't want to come play with these individuals,'' Borton said. "This is a winning team. They know what it takes.''

Borton left Vermont to coach with Inglese at BC because she wanted to get some more experience recruiting nationally with a higher-profile program -- something that definitely led to her hire at Minnesota.

"I'm really sorry to see her go, because she's so important to what we're trying to do here,'' Inglese said. "But at the same time, I'm so excited to see her get this opportunity.''