The first rumblings of a plan for a statue of Dawn Staley came to the surface last week, and more details have since been revealed. In about a year, the most successful coach in South Carolina basketball history will see her likeness erected near the South Carolina Statehouse. The funding for the statue will be split between the University of South Carolina and the Statues for Equality organization.
Staley’s success on-the-court is rivaled by her activism off of it. Never afraid to speak her mind, Staley is a loud voice in the fight against racially-motivated inequality when it comes to coverage and perception of black athletes and in the battle for exposure of women’s sports.
Columbia, South Carolina has certainly bought in to Coach Staley’s messaging. After years as an SEC laughing stock, the Gamecocks now have had the highest-attended home games in women’s college basketball for years (both in average and total fans), and the numbers even rival the top men’s programs’ attendance figures. Largely because of Staley’s influence, women’s basketball has seen a positive change in how it is perceived, both in Columbia and around the country.
At South Carolina, Staley is part of a club only membered by track and field Head Coach Curtis Frye and former baseball Head Coach Ray Tanner. Staley, Frye, and Tanner are the only coaches in South Carolina athletics history to lead their teams to NCAA national championships.
The school has experienced individual championships in women’s swimming and diving (Allison Brennan), men’s tennis (Paul Jubb), and track and field (56 athletes, 28 from the men’s team and 28 from the women’s team). The women’s equestrian squad has won three championships, but the sport is not NCAA-sanctioned.
Staley and her team will continue their quest for a third national title on Thursday when they take on the Florida Gators.