From Underdogs to Unstoppable: How Dawn Staley Built a Dynasty at South Carolina
When Dawn Staley took the reins of the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball program in 2008, the team was far from being considered a national contender. But over 18 seasons, Staley transformed the Gamecocks into one of the most dominant forces in college basketball history, capturing 21 titles across NCAA and SEC competitions.
The path to greatness wasn’t immediate. South Carolina didn’t win a single title during Staley’s first five seasons. But everything changed in 2014, when she led the team to its first-ever SEC regular-season title, setting off a new era of dominance.
That championship wasn’t just a win—it was a cultural shift.
In a now-iconic video shared on the Gamecocks’ official YouTube channel the day after their 67-56 victory over Georgia, Staley delivered a powerful message to a packed Colonial Life Arena.
“Six years ago, we were the doormats of the SEC,” she said. “So what we did was, we recruited this entire state, and we got the best kids in South Carolina to stay home. And then, we still didn’t know what it would look like.
Basketball has a certain look, it has a certain feel, it has a certain sound, and you guys right here at Colonial Life Arena gave us all those elements. And you pushed us towards this championship.”
That 2013–14 season ended with a 29-5 record and a 14-2 mark in SEC play. From then on, the Gamecocks were a fixture at the top. Except for the 2018-19 season, they have won the SEC title every single year since that breakthrough.
NBA Comes Calling—Again
Staley’s remarkable success hasn’t gone unnoticed beyond college basketball. Most recently, she was reportedly contacted by the New York Knicks during their head coaching search. Other candidates included former Knicks player Mike Brown, ex-Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, James Borrego of the Pelicans, and Micah Nori of the Timberwolves.
If Staley had accepted the job, she would’ve made history as the first-ever female head coach in NBA history. But once again, she turned down the opportunity and chose to stay at South Carolina—just as she did in 2021 when the Portland Trail Blazers came calling.
Dawn Staley’s loyalty, vision, and leadership have not only redefined South Carolina women’s basketball—they’ve set a new standard for the entire sport.
