South Carolina: South Carolina HC Dawn Staley to be honored by City of Columbia with iconic gesture

Dawn Staley is receiving a significant accolade that will forever mark her in Columbia history. The City of Columbia will install a statue commemorating the South Carolina women's basketball coach on Wednesday.

"The City of Columbia, in partnership with the Statues for Equality and generous community partners, is proud to unveil a statue honoring the legendary Dawn Staley, an icon whose impact reaches far beyond the basketball court," the press release read.

"This tribute celebrates not only her championship legacy as a coach and player, but also her unwavering commitment to leadership, community empowerment, and uplifting future generations. Dawn Staley’s influence continues to inspire both on and off the court, and this statue stands as a lasting symbol of excellence, resilience, and pride for Columbia and the entire state of South Carolina."

NCAA Womens Basketball: Final Four National Championship - Source: Imagn

South Carolina women's basketball fans are encouraged to attend Wednesday's unveiling, which will take place at 4:00 p.m. EST at the intersection of Senate St. and Lincoln St., next to the University of South Carolina Pastides Alumni Center.

Staley has led the Gamecocks for 17 seasons and won three national championships. She has led the Gamecocks to seven Final Four appearances and won the SEC regular season and championship titles nine times. The seasoned head coach has been named SEC Coach of the Year seven times, Naismith Coach of the Year four times, and AP Coach of the Year twice.

NCAA Womens Basketball: Final Four National Championship Practice-South Carolina - Source: Imagn

Dawn Staley's 2024-25 season at South Carolina

Dawn Staley's squad entered the 2024-25 season off a national championship win. Although the Gamecocks came up short of this feat, they still had an impressive season.

South Carolina accumulated just three losses on their way to an SEC regular season championship and tournament championship. Staley's team entered March Madness as a No. 1 seed and breezed through the first two rounds, winning each matchup by a double-digit margin.

The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight brought tougher competition for Staley's team. The Gamecocks narrowly defeated Maryland 71-67 in the Sweet 16 before winning by four points against Duke in the Elite Eight.

The Final Four was a rematch of the SEC Tournament championship game and once again, South Carolina dominated over Texas to pick up a 17-point win. However, the Gamecocks proved to be no match for UConn in the title game, falling 82-59.

About the author

Lindsey Ware is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over five years of experience working with publications such as The News & Observer, The Daily Tar Heel, Triangle Tribune and Cardiac Cane. She has also worked for Major League Baseball, The Holly Springs Salamanders, The Tri-City Chili Peppers, Tuffy Talk, Super Meteors Basketball, Just Good Network and Living Sport.

Lindsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Journalism from UNC Chapel Hill. Her education allowed Lindsey to gain experience in sports communication, which she honed in internships. Other than being a storyteller and sports fanatic, Lindsey is also a social media and marketing specialist.

Her favorite college team is UNC, although she grew up a N.C. State fan as both of her parents are Wolfpack alumni. Michael Jordan was a huge deal in North Carolina when Lindsey was growing up, and after a summer spent at UNC’s Sports Journalism Camp back in high school, Lindsey was set on being a Tar Heel.

Lindsey's favorite college coach of all time is Roy Williams. During her time attending UNC Chapel Hill and writing for The Daily Tar Heel, Lindsey was lucky enough to meet and speak with Williams a few times. He was like a celebrity on UNC’s campus and was beloved for his coaching style and success with the Tar Heels, accumulating three NCAA championship titles in 18 years.

When not watching or writing about sports, Lindsey enjoys reading, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with my friends, family and dog. She also likes to journal, watch movies and paint.

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Edited by Krutik Jain