COLUMBIA — Dawn Staley is testing her discipline in a different arena this season — and it has nothing to do with X’s and O’s.
The South Carolina women’s basketball coach hasn’t touched coffee since the calendar flipped to 2026, and she doesn’t plan to until at least March 1. While she didn’t explain why that specific date matters, it happens to line up with the Gamecocks’ final regular-season game against Kentucky.
The caffeine pause is just one part of a broader New Year’s resolution that has Staley reworking her daily routine. Lunch is now reserved for smoothies, while dinners fall into what she calls “sensible” territory — meals like salmon or chicken paired with rice.
Nearly two weeks into the commitment, Staley shared a brutally honest (and humorous) progress report on social media.
“Am I hungry = yes. Do I want candy = yes. Do I want coffee = double yes! Do I want to snack = (hell) yeah BUT I don’t,” Staley wrote on X. “Stay committed yall! Prep is where it’s at.”
As No. 3 South Carolina (20-2, 6-1 SEC) prepares to face Auburn on Jan. 29, Staley is approaching the challenge the same way she asks her players to approach the grind of a long season — with intentional sacrifice.
“I gotta challenge myself, I ask our players to make sacrifices and I try to make sacrifices in my own personal life because it’s hard and I want to do the hard thing because I ask them to do the hard thing,” Staley said.
Those sacrifices come with structure. Staley, who has followed a pescatarian diet since at least 2020, primarily eats plant-based foods along with fish and seafood, avoiding red meat and often skipping chicken. Her go-to smoothie typically includes blueberries, half a banana, coconut or almond milk, protein powder and peanut butter.
Staley credited Dianne Palmer — South Carolina’s special assistant to the head coach — for helping keep her on track. Palmer works closely with Staley on community outreach and personal appearances and was acknowledged in Staley’s social media post for her support.
About a month into the resolution, the hunger is real, the cravings haven’t disappeared — and the coffee temptation still lingers. But for Staley, that discomfort is the point.
Just like with her team, commitment and preparation are the standard — even when it’s uncomfortable.
And for now, the coffee will have to wait. ☕🚫
