South Carolina women's basketball played their first modern-era basketball game in 1974, marking this season their 51st season at the University. Head coach Dawn Staley joined the Gamecocks in 2008 when he was hired to take over what was a struggling basketball program.
In 17 season, Staley has done something incredible with the Gamecocks and it easily could be dubbed "The Dawn Staley Effect."
Before Staley took over the women's basketball program, South Carolina, in the last 17 seasons, had not won a single SEC title, had not made it to a single Final Four, and had not won a National Championship. In the 17 seasons since Staley, South Carolina has won 12 regular season SEC titles, and 12 SEC tournament titles, has been to six Final Fours, and has won three National Championships.
Since becoming the head coach, Staley has had 14 women drafted into the WNBA, most notably three-time WNBA MVP and two-time WNAB Champion A'Ja Wilson, who helped bring South Carolina their first women's basketball National Championship. Three of those players have gone on to win WNBA Rookie of the Year: Aliyah Boston in 2023, Allisha Gray in 2017, and Wilson in 2018.
Staley has had her team in contention for a National Championship every year for the past six years, seemingly grabbing the torch from UConn coach Geno Auriemma as the most dominant team in women's college basketball.
Staley could probably go just about anywhere in the country and to any college basketball program and have the success she has had, she could have chosen to return to her Alma Mater of Virginia and coached there, but she sticks with the Gamecocks.
There is a reason every recruit wants to play for South Carolina. Staley knows not just how to produce winners but how to produce women who are good people and play at the highest level.