South Carolina and Staley Ink Historic Contract Extension – University of South Carolina Athletics

COLUMBIA, South Carolina – The University of South Carolina Board of Trustees today approved a contract extension for women’s head basketball coach Dawn Staley that will last through the 2029-30 season and make her the highest-paid college women’s basketball coach in the history of the sport.

“Dawn Staley is a once-in-a-generation coach who has had a tremendous impact on the University of South Carolina,” said Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati. “She has elevated the sport of women’s basketball nationally and here on campus and I am thrilled that she will represent our university for many years to come.”

The contract, which began immediately after board approval, begins with an annual salary of $4 million, includes a signing bonus of $500,000 and annual escalation of $250,000, bringing the total value at approximately $25.25 million.

“I am proud to represent the University of South Carolina and its investment in women’s basketball,” Staley said. “What we were able to accomplish on the ground is a testament to what can happen when you bring the right people together from a team perspective, but also have the right commitment from the University, the department of athletics and community to build this team with everything it needs to succeed. I appreciate everyone who has been a part of our journey – player, staff, university president and leadership, member. of the board of directors, athletic director, athletic department employee and fan. I look forward to continuing to show how an investment in women’s basketball will pay off for everyone.

Since taking the reins of the program in May 2008, Staley has made South Carolina a perennial national power. The Gamecocks are one of five programs to have hosted at least three NCAA women’s basketball national championships, and they are one of two programs to have multiple 40-game winning streaks. Staley has led South Carolina to six of the last nine NCAA Final Fours, including each of the last four. Their current 107 consecutive weeks in the top 10 of the AP poll constitutes the longest active streak and the 11^th the longest streak in the history of this election. The Gamecocks’ 86 AP No. 1 rankings, all by Staley, are also the third-most by a program in the history of that poll.

Staley’s teams have been the benchmark in the SEC over the past decade, amassing eight regular season titles since 2013-14 and finishing at least second during that span. Since this season, the Gamecocks are 165-15 in league play, including an 81-3 mark since 2019-20. South Carolina’s current 52-game SEC regular season winning streak is the league record and the seventh-longest conference winning streak in NCAA history. Earlier this season, Staley became the second-fastest coach to reach 200 SEC wins in the regular season, and her SEC winning percentage of .787 (203-55) is second only to the legendary Pat Summitt. Under Staley’s tenure, the Gamecocks have also locked down the SEC Tournament, winning eight titles since winning their first in 2015. They became the first program in league history to win four straight tournaments, winning the crowns 2015-18.

Under Staley’s tutelage, 11 Gamecocks have amassed 27 All-America honors, including two national players of the year in A’ja Wilson (2018) and Aliyah Boston (2022), who also became the nation’s first female defensive player. year of the program, CoSIDA. All-America Academic Teammate of the Year and Honda Cup Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year. Three Gamecocks have earned SEC Player of the Year honors a total of seven times, and 22 have earned All-SEC honors at least once, including 16 first-team selections.

After a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame playing career that included five WNBA All-Star appearances and three Olympic gold medals, Staley proved she could prepare young talent for the next level. She has seen 14 Gamecocks selected in the WNBA draft over the past nine seasons, including two No. 1 overall picks in Wilson (2018) and Boston (2022). Three of those 14 picks earned WNBA Rookie of the Year honors and three others made their WNBA All-Star teams.

Staley is a five-time national coach of the year. Her unanimous selection in 2020 made her the first former Naismith Player of the Year to win the Naismith Coach of the Year award, and she became the first men’s or women’s coach to win the award in three consecutive seasons. -24. She is a seven-time SEC Coach of the Year, narrowly trailing Summitt’s eight SEC selections.

Off the court, Staley has made South Carolina women’s basketball a community event with Gamecock fans leading the NCAA in average attendance over the past 10 seasons. The program sold out its season tickets for the first time in program history with 13,152 sold this season, putting the Gamecocks in contention for an all-time high of 11.^th-consecutive season at the top of the national attendance rankings.

Also a force in American basketball, Staley was named head coach of the United States women’s national team in May 2017 and led the team to its record seventh consecutive Olympic gold medal at the Games. of Tokyo 2020. She was on the sidelines as head coach or assistant coach or on the field as a player for six of those seven gold medals. As head coach, Staley was named USA Basketball National Coach of the Year twice (2018 and 2015) and helped the United States win 11 international gold medals. For her contributions to international basketball, Staley will be inducted into the FIBA ​​Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025.

Staley has this season’s team ranked No. 2/2 in the nation with a 17-1 overall record and a 5-0 mark in SEC play, including an NCAA-best six wins against ranked opponents. His Gamecocks will next be in action on Sunday, January 19, hosting No. 13/13 Oklahoma at Colonial Life Arena. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. on ESPN.