- Dawn Staley’ recent NCAA championship victory with South Carolina puts an end to a season of lows
- She couldn’t believe that she made it past Caitlin Clark of Iowa Hawkeyes
- The Gamecocks and their ferocious coach completed the task with an 87-75 victory over Iowa
Dawn Staley recent NCAA championship victory with South Carolina puts an end to a season of lows and deep frustration.
She couldn’t believe that she made it past Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes. The magnificent Staley couldn’t hold back tears of joy.
The Gamecocks and their ferocious coach completed the task with an 87-75 victory over Iowa in the NCAA championship on Sunday.
It was exactly one year after their flawless season came to an abrupt end with a semifinal loss to the incredible Clark in the Final Four.
How Dawn Staley Triumphed Over Iowa Hawkeyes
With South Carolina’s Gamecocks 87-75 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes in the NCAA championship game on Sunday, Staley cemented her place in college basketball history.
Dawn Staley, South Carolina’s Gamecocks coach. Photo/The New York Post
It was South Carolina’s 10th consecutive undefeated season in women’s basketball history, and the victory sealed the team’s 38-0 record.
This was Staley’s third national championship with the Gamecocks in her lucrative $22.4 million seven-year contract. What makes this victory sweeter is that it comes after the devastating Final Four defeat to Iowa in 2023.
Out of the 2023 squad, South Carolina lost all five starters with its 2023 squad. However, Staley skillfully reassembled the team, largely depending on a fresh group of rookies who won the championship.
The tenacious defence that the Gamecocks put up defeated Iowa’s potent attack in the championship game. Kamilla Cardoso made an impressive 15 points and 17 rebounds which sealed Staley’s victory.
Raven Johnson, a point guard for South Carolina dubbed this match a ‘Revenge Tour’ but Staley made it clear that it had nothing to do with getting even.
All she wanted was to prove herself right especially after Iowa’s thrashing last year.
“It was emotional for me because of how it ended last year,” she said amid streams of tears falling down her cheeks.
Why is South Carolina Vs Iowa Hawkeyes Match Special?
South Carolina dominated the greatest season in women’s college basketball. The 2023-24 NCAA season was a tough battle capped off with Clark’s rampage through the record books, young stars, and unprecedented TV numbers.
The Gamecocks were unbeatable against any team even with their five new starters. They gave credit for their success to their 5-foot-5 coach, Staley, who is currently among the best basketball coaches in the US.
Iowa Hawkeyes vs South Carolina Gamecocks. Photo/ESPN
Staley became only the fifth coach in history to win three titles with her third, and her second in three years.
President Joe Biden congratulated Staley over the phone from the White House after the Gamecocks moved the party outside the arena.
The 53-year-old South Carolina coach has in the past expressed her desire to be referred to as a realistic dreamer who helps her team off and on the court.
Gamecocks Reaction to Victory
Johnson couldn’t hide her joy after this victory and she described Staley as the best coach the NCAA will ever have.
“We have the best coach in the country, in the nation, in the whole wide world,” she said.
Kamilla Cardoso who plays as a centre also heaved praise on Staley as the best there is in women’s basketball. Johnson and Cardoso attributed this victory to just more than coaching.
“She’s just like a family for me, a family away from home. I’m just so thankful to have her,” Cardoso said. Johnson reiterated these sentiments in a special and lighter way.
“She’s like a mom,” Johnson said. “I go to her about everything. I could joke around with her. I could do anything. It’s a home-away-from-home feeling.”
Meanwhile, with a $22.4 million contract, she remains the top paid black female basketball coaches. Her track record of success was enough to get her a substantial contract extension in 2021.
It also made her the highest-paid women’s collegiate basketball coach and permitted her to stay in South Carolina until at least 2028.
Staley had a base salary of $2 million for the previous season. That sum rises by $100,000 a year over the next five years, making her base salary for the 2027–2028 campaign $2.5 million.
Staley also receives hefty bonuses on top of her normal pay as a result of her team making it to the Final Four.
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