A long-awaited tribute to Dawn Staley will officially be unveiled Wednesday afternoon, the University of South Carolina announced on Monday — but not in the location originally planned.
The statue honoring Staley will now stand at the intersection of Senate and Lincoln streets, right beside the university’s Pastides Alumni Center. This spot, located in Columbia’s Vista district near the Columbia Convention Center, is just a few blocks from where it was initially expected to be placed.
Back in February 2023, Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann had told The State that the statue would be installed at the corner of Main and Gervais streets, directly across from the S.C. State House.
“We still count that as downtown,” said Payton Lang, spokesperson for the mayor, in a statement to The State on Monday regarding the statue’s updated location.
Interestingly, the statue will now be closer to Colonial Life Arena. The unveiling ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
According to Lang, Staley specifically asked that her statue not be placed directly by the arena, expressing that she wanted that honor reserved for her players instead. In fact, a statue of Gamecock legend A’ja Wilson was already installed outside Colonial Life Arena back in January 2021.
“Coach Staley had one request, that when you’re looking at the statue you can see the State House behind it,” Lang explained.
City officials credited their public works employees with finding the perfect new location — one that fulfills Staley’s wish of having the State House visible in the background.
The project, first announced in February 2023, saw the arrival of the 11-foot, 1,000-pound statue in Columbia by August 2024, Lang noted.
Estimated to cost $140,000, the statue was funded through a partnership between the City of Columbia, Statues for Equality, and local business leaders.
In a press release on Monday, the city emphasized the deeper significance of the tribute:
“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,” the city stated. “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.“
