Dawn Staley
Catapulting South Carolina into the national spotlight, Dawn Staley has made the Gamecocks a mainstay in the battle for SEC and national championships. Under her leadership, the Gamecocks have reached many firsts – National Championships, NCAA Final Fours, No. 1 rankings, SEC regular-season and tournament titles, SEC Players of the Year, National Players of the Year, WNBA No. 1 Draft pick and No. 1 recruiting classes – to name the most notable.
In Staley’s 14 seasons at the helm of the Gamecocks, highlights include:
Two National Championships (2017, 2022)
Four NCAA Final Fours in the last seven tournaments (2015, 2017, 2021, 2022)
Ranking in the AP Top 25 every week since Dec. 10, 2012, including 114 weeks in the top five
44 weeks ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll, including two final No. 1 rankings (2019-20, 2021-22)
11 25-win seasons, including five 30-win campaigns led by a school-record 35 victories in 2021-22
Six SEC regular-season championships (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2022)
Six SEC Tournament titles (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021)
Three top-two recruiting classes (#1 in 2021, #1 in 2019, #2 in 2014)
Eight NCAA Attendance titles (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
While her coaching career is in full bloom, Staley is still recognized for her body of work as a one of the most decorated participants in United States women’s basketball history. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame solidified that legacy with her enshrinement as part of the Class of 2013. The Phoenix Club of Philadelphia established the Dawn Staley Award recognizing the nation’s top guard in women’s Division I basketball in 2013 as well. Staley was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2012 and was one of the final nominees for induction to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame the same year. In the summer of 2011, the WNBA recognized her as one of the league’s “Top 15,” honoring the most influential players in the league’s history.
In 22 seasons as a head coach, Staley has led her college teams to 12 25-win seasons, a total of 18 postseason appearances (two WNIT) and 147 weeks in the Associated Press top 10, including 44 in the No. 1 spot – the sixth most times in the top spot in the history of that poll. Her .744 winning percentage (538-185) ranks 12th in the nation among active head coaches with at least 10 years of experience..
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