NCAA Women’s Basketball Recap: The One
Wassup folks! Ya boy (it me, ya boy) is back with a recap for a literal living legend. There won’t be much NBA talk for this recap. I am here to talk about Dawn Staley.
On April 7th, Dawn captured the women’s NCAA title after defraying Caitlin Clark and Iowa 87-75. In 16 years at South Carolina, this is her third title. Her and South Carolina have gone 109-3 in the past three years, capping it off with a 38-0 season this year. She was overcome with emotion after the game was over, even bringing up her previous class, named, “The Freshies,” as this season was an attempt to redeem them four losing in last year’s National Semifinal. With a different and younger cast, she and her team completed the mission and are this season’s champions.
But this is bigger than this year—bigger even than her 16 years as a coach in Columbia. The rain why I titled this post what I did is because Dawn Staley has and continues to build a legacy that places her as one of the biggest living legends in basketball history. Let’s begin with this: Staley has been a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame since 2013. Since then, she has been to 6 Final Fours with 3 titles, 4 Naismith Coach of the Year awards, and an Olympic gold medal as Team USA’s head coach. This does not include her 2 Naismith Player of the Year awards at the University of Virginia, her 6 WNBA All-Star selections and 3 Olympic gold medals as a player, with many, many more accomplishments I didn’t list. For over 30 years, Dawn Staley has been a supreme model of basketball excellence.
The best part about Staley’s second career as a head coach is her willingness to embrace the role as one of the ambassadors tasked with helping to grow the women’s basketball game to receive the love and support it deserves. She is willing to praise players on other teams, address social issues in the right way, and still be the firm and disciplined leader needed to achieve the highest level of success. Her players absolutely adore her, from A’ja Wilson to Aliyah Boston, and she continues to keep the momentum she’s had since beginning her coaching career at Temple University going at South Carolina.
We know she is great. However, we must appreciate her as if we are obligated to loudly celebrate her to the highest degree. She says she has, “uncommon favor.” And while that may be true, she is rarified greatness, discipline and compassion personified. Everything she has been involved in as a leader had led to success for her and whomever is aligned with her. And the best part for us is that it feels like more is on the way for her. Dawn Staley, you are The One. Congratulations to the South Carolina Gamecocks on their championship.
The only Till Take I have is the fact that this season was a landmark one for women’s basketball. More names became well-known. More eyes were watching the games for the quality of hoop on the floor. We had drama, storylines and exalted success. To those players who are moving on to be professionals, may they find the best career paths for them. To those who will be in college next year, may Even more support be thrown their way to exponentially grow the sport to unprecedented heights. Thank you all for a tremendous season.