The women’s basketball team from the University of South Carolina is enjoying its third NCAA title after defeating Iowa 87-75 in the championship game.
With the victory, head coach Dawn Staley’s flawless season ends after guiding a completely new starting five to victory this year.
With her victory, Staley became the first black woman to coach a women’s basketball team to go 109-3 in three years, have a 38-0 season, and win three or more national titles.
As a result, Staley joins an elite group that also includes Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer, Tennessee’s Pat Summitt, LSU’s Kim Mulkey, and UConn’s Geno Auriemma.
She had a stellar playing career – winning three gold medals at the Olympics while competing for Team USA, five WNBA All-Star selections with the Charlotte Sting, and one appearance in the national title game while playing for Virginia.
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While the excitement of South Carolina’s fairytale season is still fresh in our minds, here are six things about their amazing coach you may not be aware of.
A guest appearance on Martin during the episode Bangin’ Hard in the School Yard
This victory brought attention to Staley’s career. This involves a guest appearance on Martin’s fifth season of television. Martin’s girlfriend Gina dares him and his buddies to a three-on-three basketball game in episode six, Bangin’ Hard in the School Yard.
She’s a girl from Philadelphia
Since 2008, Dawn Staley has served as a coach at the University of South Carolina. However, the native of Philadelphia, who grew up in the Raymond Rosen Projects, represents her city by supporting the neighborhood sports teams whenever she has the chance.
She adores her sneakers
It’s evident from a cursory glance at her Instagram page that Coach Staley has a weakness for shoes. She loves to show off her impressive sneaker collection, which includes Air Force 1s in vibrant hues and Jordans in her team’s colors.
She has a firm faith.
Although most people credit the team’s diligence and capable leadership for South Carolina’s success, Coach Staley always gives the majority of the credit to a higher force.
Following her team’s thrilling championship victory, Staley took a moment to thank God for her team’s achievement this year.
“We worship an amazing God,” she noted during a moving post-game interview.
Staley motivates her teammates with her faith as well. Before every game, she offers a “Gameday Devotional” over dinner with her squad which includes a team photo and a Bible scripture.
She is vocal about civil rights matters.
In addition to standing up for her players on the court, Staley has been an advocate for civil rights. She spearheaded a movement in 2020 with other coaches and players at the University of South Carolina to have the name of the late Senator Strom Thurman of South Carolina removed from the school’s fitness center. She claimed that Thurman’s opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and his views on segregation should not be remembered. In 2022, a black volleyball player from Duke postponed a two-game set against Brigham Young University because she was the focus of racist taunts from the home crowd.
“My responsibility as head coach is to look out for my players and staff,” she stated at the time. “I’ve had to reassess our home-and-home after the BYU incident, and I don’t think it’s the right time for us to participate in this series.”
Her players adore her.
Coach Staley does more for her team than merely assign laps and watch tapes of their best moments. She is also very caring to her team members, who look up to her as a mother figure when they are away from home and show up at milestones like graduations.
Guard Raven Johnson remarked, “It means a lot just to play, just to learn from her. I consult her for everything. We could crack jokes together. I was capable of anything at all. She resembles a mother and a house away from home. It seems like a home away from home.”
“I wish you guys knew how much she has aided me both as a lady and a player. And, really, she’s incredible. It is fortunate. It’s so much fun just to play for her. People adore entertaining her. People would run through brick walls for her,” guard Te-Hina Paopao noted.
