Continue readingDawn Michelle Staley, first of her name.
Coach of the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team, Staley is a legend in her own right, and her bio on the South Carolina website reflects that.
Prior to her career as a coach, she made a name for herself playing basketball. At 5 feet 6 inches tall, Staley made her mark as a point guard beginning in high school, where she was named the USA Today National High School Player of the Year during her senior year of high school in 1988. She went on to play college basketball at the University of Virginia, where she was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 1989; made three trips to the NCAA Final Four — including the championship game in 1991, and she was named Most Outstanding Player after that game.
She was named National Player of the Year in 1991 and 1992; she was named a Kodak All-American three years straight (1990, 1991, 1992); she was ACC Player of the Year in 1991 and 1992, and she is the only player in ACC history — male or female — to have more than 2,000 points, 700 rebounds, 700 assists and 400 steals. She is also one of only three players at Virginia to have their jerseys retired.
Dawn is not new to this; she’s true to this.
Now, she is the first Black coach — male or female — in Division I college basketball history to go undefeated and win three national titles.
Dawn Staley is undefeated in more ways than one
