South Carolina basketball coach Dawn Staley was trending on Twitter yesterday after the release of one insane stat regarding the 2021 season.
After taking down Kim Mulkey and the LSU Tigers on Thursday, it was revealed that the Gamecocks’ leader was the first person to guide their team to victory over coaches Geno Auriemma, Tara VanDerveer, and Mulkey in the same season.
The Gamecocks had already knocked off UCONN and Stanford earlier in the year.
Dawn Staley and @GamecockWBB are the first team ever to defeat Geno Auriemma, Tara VanDerveer and Kim Mulkey in the same season.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 7, 2022
• def. UConn 73-57
• def. Stanford 65-61
• def. LSU 66-60 pic.twitter.com/6VVtxv6Ks6
All three wins came against ranked opponents, as the South Carolina basketball team has already defeated seven foes ranked inside the nation’s top 25 poll. The wins also came over three of college basketball’s all-time greatest coaches.
Mulkey is 646-106 as a coach, spending time with the Baylor Bears before taking over at LSU this season. She’s won three national titles, most recently in 2019.
VanDerveer has won over 1,100 games as a college head coach, making stops at Idaho, Ohio State, and Stanford. She led the Cardinal to a national title in 2021, taking down the Gamecocks in the Final Four along the way. A controversial no-call helped seal South Carolina’s fate late in that matchup.
How about that @Stanford women’s soccer team? I’m actually surprised the @NCAA officials didn’t call a hand ball on the Gamecocks. pic.twitter.com/CSbgrZOKzs
— Chip Hansen (@ReadyOneTakeTwo) April 3, 2021
Finally, we all know what Auriemma has done with the UCONN Huskies. He’s won 1,125 games, posting a winning percentage over 88%. He’s won 11 national championships while being the benchmark of success in the college basketball world.
Plies shouts out South Carolina basketball
By defeating all three legends in the same season, Dawn Staley made history. She also picked up some well-deserved recognition along the way.
One person showing support was award-winning rapper Plies. Check out what he had to say about the South Carolina basketball coach below.
My Coach!!!!! This My Best Friend In My Mind!!!!!😍🤷🏾♂️ https://t.co/ZBaNlkRZ3T
— Plies (@plies) January 7, 2022
The artist is best known for singles “Hypnotized” and “Shawty.” The Gamecocks’ Athletic team though it would be a great time to pitch the rapper on making an appearance at the Colonial Life Arena some time this season.
So we’ll see you in Colonial Life Arena at least once this season? 👀
— Gamecock Athletics (@GamecocksOnline) January 8, 2022
Maybe we’ll see Plies courtside at a game in the future. Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks resume action on tomorrow versus No. 20 Kentucky.