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Dawn Staley left Temple University in her home country of Philadelphia after the 2007-08 season and was named head coach of South Carolina Women’s Basketball team.
In more than a decade and a half, Staley took the Gamecocks program to unprecedented heights, leading South Carolina to 3 National Title During her tenure.
In her new book, Uncommon Favor, Staley revealed that in 2005 another SEC school had expressed interest in her.
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On April 7, 2024, South Carolina’s Dawnstay will face the Iowa Hawk Eyes during the national championship game held at Rocket Mortgage Field House in Cleveland. (Photo by Ben Solomon/NCAA via Getty Images)
“Alabama first chased me in 2005,” Staley wrote.
She was coaching at Temple when she was approached by Alabama. The Owls finished the 2004-05 season with a 28-4 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Staley landed at the same meeting Deep red tideshe believed South Carolina was the perfect fit for her family and career.
“I visited campus. I liked the athletic director, but I couldn’t see him living in Alabama,” she pointed out.
South Carolina Gamecox head coach Dawn Staley will respond to the Texas Longhorns in his final four games at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida on April 4, 2025. (Photo by Ben Solomon/NCAA via Getty Images)
Although Staley didn’t care about the idea of ​​moving to Alabama, she said the move to South Carolina means that several coaches still participate in the league where they had legendary careers.
“I was drawn to the fact that USC is part of the SEC and has its renowned legacy in women’s basketball,” writes Staley. “Pat Summit was the legendary coach of this league, Andy Landers, Melanie Balcomb, all of these. I was looking to hone my skills and stand up to the best of competition.
Staley was also eager to reunite with her mother, Estelle, with her brother.
University of South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley celebrates his victory in the Albany area and progression to the Final Four after cutting the net at the MVP Arena in Albany, New York on March 31, 2024. (Tracy Glantz/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
On all accounts, Staley has become his beloved figure in the capital of South Carolina and home to Gamecocks. The city recently announced its on-campus Statues in honor of Staley.
Staley reflected on the nation that embraced her, given her complicated history with her family. Esther left South Carolina decades ago due to racism and discrimination.
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Staley described Homecoming as a “Full Surcal moment.”
“Time is funny. I realized that my mother was thriving into exiles in the very state of cynicism that will never be forgotten,” Staley wrote. “It was a full-cell moment that allowed me to return to my home when I began working in South Carolina, which was made possible by social advancement, the civil rights movement and countless changes.
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