South-Carolina

Why Dawn Staley is women’s college basketball’s giant — and South Carolina a new mecca

Published

1 year ago

March 23, 2025

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Why Dawn Staley is women’s college basketball’s giant — and South Carolina a new mecca

We asked 7 players and coaches in women’s college basketball about how Dawn Staley has impacted the game and turned South Carolina into one of the iconic programs in history.

Anna Williams
| Special to USA TODAY

South Carolina women’s basketball, led by coach Dawn Staley, has become a powerhouse program and a force in the sport.
Staley has led the Gamecocks to three NCAA championships and is considered one of the most iconic coaches in women’s basketball.
“What Dawn has done over the last six to 10 years is absolutely incredible,” one opposing coach said. “Dawn has now become the torchbearer.”

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has created an environment in which rival teams feel not only challenged but also excited to play against a powerhouse program in a city that has become a mecca of sorts for women’s basketball.

“It’s a really special place,” Indiana guard Sydney Parrish said ahead of the No. 9 Hoosiers’ second-round March Madness game against the Gamecocks. “First of all, it’s really hard to win here in Columbia at the height of where women’s basketball is right now and where South Carolina basketball is right now.”

Under Staley’s leadership, South Carolina has won three NCAA championships and is gunning for a fourth. If they win it all this year, the Gamecocks would be the first back-to-back women’s NCAA champions since UConn in 2016.

Watch South Carolina vs. Indiana on Fubo

The Gamecocks are often mentioned alongside programs such as UConn, Tennessee – once led by the iconic Pat Summitt – and Stanford.

“What Dawn has done over the last six to 10 years is absolutely incredible,” said Kim Rosamond, coach of a No. 16 Tennessee Tech team that fell to South Carolina in the first round. “Dawn has now become the torchbearer, so to speak, for the college game. She’s doing it as well as anyone in the game today.”

Tara VanDerveer’s retirement last year after a long and successful career at Stanford left Staley, UConn’s Geno Auriemma and LSU’s Kim Mulkey as the most iconic coaches still on the sidelines in March Madness this year.

Dawn Staley’s record, impact at South Carolina

What Staley has accomplished with the Gamecocks is nothing short of extraordinary: Three national championships, six Final Fours and more than 450 wins since she took over the program in 2008. In January, South Carolina extended Staley’s contract through 2029-30 with a $4 million annual base salary, making her the highest-paid coach in women’s basketball.

“South Carolina has been able to see it was worth it to invest in Dawn Staley – and how she changed this program and the impact she’s had on these young women,” said Lisa Leslie, a three-time WNBA MVP and four-time Olympic teammate of Staley’s who came to Columbia to support her close friend during South Carolina’s first-round game Friday against Tennessee Tech.

Staley isn’t focused on titles or on debating where South Carolina fits among the pantheon of top programs. She’s already confident that her program has cemented its place in history.

“I think we created a legacy already, whether we win this one or not,” Staley said. “What we’ve done over the past eight years won’t be done again. If we win another one, it just adds to our legacy in the game.”

South Carolina’s junior forward Chloe Kitts said Staley herself already belongs in the legacy conversation as well.

“She has accomplished every goal, so why would she not be in that category?” Kitts asked, referring to coaches like Summitt and VanDerveer.

Indiana head coach Teri Moren compared South Carolina to other powerhouses such as Tennessee, UConn and Stanford.

“You can’t talk about those other teams without mentioning South Carolina,” Moren said. “They’ve raised the bar for everybody. It’s no longer UConn, it’s no longer Tennessee. You can now talk about South Carolina.”

Staley’s coaching record at Colonial Life Arena, South Carolina’s home venue, is 230-35.

“I think we have a 4% chance of winning,” Indiana’s Parrish said, somewhat jokingly, about playing South Carolina at Colonial Life Arena on Sunday.

South Carolina women’s basketball fans show out — consistently

The Gamecocks feel the love from their community, with fans showing their appreciation through gifts, cards and constant encouragement.

“We have this one little girl who got her hair braided, and each of her beads has our names on them,” South Carolina’s senior center Sakima Walker said. “The fans really love us.”

All players who come to play in Columbia feel that support and energy.

“We’ve been trying to create it in Utah,” Utes senior forward Jenna Johnson said before Utah played Indiana in a first-round game in Columbia on Friday. “It’s just fun to play in this environment.”

Anna Williams is a student in the University of Georgia’s Sports Media Certificate program.

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South-Carolina

NFL Draft Injury Analysis: Jalon Kilgore, S – South Carolina

Published

48 minutes ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

NFL Draft Injury Analysis: Jalon Kilgore, S – South Carolina

The Lions may be looking for a safety within the first two rounds due to injuries to Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. That’s where Jalon Kilgore may come in. He has some minor injuries, but appears to be a relatively low-risk prospect for a team that needs to add health to that room.

Here is the excerpt of my medical report on Jalon Kilgore:

Jalon Kilgore, S (21) – South Carolina

Projected round 2-3.

Concern level 2/10

While his availability has been excellent, Kilgore has a history of hamstring strains in 2025 and 2023. If his 2024 injury is found to be also a hamstring, then happenstance becomes a disturbing trend.

With fast-twitch athletes, hamstrings are going to be very common, and generally don’t present any long-term issues. The difficult trick will be to determine if a certain player is more prone to hamstrings.

What helps Kilgore a lot is his young age.

For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD

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South-Carolina

Motorcyclist critically injured in Longs area crash

Published

13 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Motorcyclist critically injured in Longs area crash

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — One person was critically injured in a motorcycle crash in the Longs area on Thursday afternoon, according to Horry County Fire Rescue (HCFR).

Just before 2:00 p.m., crews responded to the area of Old Highway 31 near Hidden River Road.

MORE: 1 critically injured in vehicle rollover near International Dr.

One person was transported to the hospital as a result of the motorcycle crash, HCFR said.

Officials ask that drivers avoid the area as lanes of traffic are currently blocked.

The incident is under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol with assistance from the Horry County Police Department.

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South-Carolina

South Carolina’s Raven Johnson carries her grandfather’s legacy into Sweet 16

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

South Carolina’s Raven Johnson carries her grandfather’s legacy into Sweet 16

Alyssia Hamilton
| Special to USA TODAY

COLUMBIA, SC ― With the clock winding down and pressures of the Women’s NCAA Tournament rising, South Carolina senior guard Raven Johnson isn’t playing just to win. She plays in honor of a voice she can no longer hear – but that she still carries with her every time she steps onto the court.

That motivation was on full display Monday night, as the No. 1-seeded Gamecocks took down No. 9 USC to advance to the Sweet 16. Johnson earned her 1,000th career point ― what would prove to be her last point at Colonial Life Arena ― on a steal and fast-break layup that brought a roar from the crowd. The Gamecocks will face No. 4 Oklahoma Saturday in Sacramento, with another Elite Eight appearance on the line.

For Johnson, the moment symbolized something deeper – a career shaped by the memory of her late grandfather. Johnson’s family watched as she achieved the milestone, her mother, grandmother and twin brother. It was a full circle moment for a player whose journey took root in her grandparents’ home.

Her grandparents helped raise her and her twin brother, Richard Johnson. The family lived together and she often calls her grandmother “mother” and her grandfather “papa,” reflecting the impact they had on her upbringing.

“My grandparents did a really good job,” Johnson said. “We wouldn’t be playing sports if it wasn’t for them.”

The Boones introduced the twins to basketball through their church and spent countless hours training them, often pushing them past their limits. A sergeant first class in the Army Reserves, he supervised soldiers in his unit and brought that same discipline to his grandchildren on the court, being demanding, structured and determined.

“I remember being outside and he was training us and I thought it was so hard. I wanted to give up,” Johnson said. “I used to cry, and he would be like ‘You’re not going to cry in my face, and you’re not going to give up.’ It was little things like that that made me tough.”

The standard of grit, accountability and composure, is something Johnson carries today.

“She’s just a winner and she’s a great point guard,” said South Carolina senior guard Ta’Niya Latson, who also played with Johnson at Westlake High School in Atlanta. “When she’s confident, we’re confident. When she’s poised, we’re poised. It’s hard to have that type of personality and leadership on the court, but she carries it well.”

Rodrick Boone was diagnosed with stomach cancer in December 2012 and died in April 2013 while Johnson was at a tournament in New Orleans. She was 10 years old.

“I remember I shut down,” Johnson said. “My mind went blank. I was like ‘What?’ I thought he was untouchable.”

Months after her grandfather’s death, something shifted in her mindset.

“I think that’s my why,” Johnson said. “I keep going today because he is my why.”

As a child, Johnson didn’t even like basketball. She preferred T-ball and cheerleading and thought basketball wasn’t for girls, until she saw Notre Dame’s Skylar Diggins and began to see herself differently.

“She was so pretty to me and I remember asking ‘Can I be girly and hoop?’” Johnson said.

She was the only girl on her recreational team, earning the nickname “Killer” for her defensive intensity alongside her brother, nicknamed “Thriller” for his offensive ability. The boys tested Johnson by playing physical and trying to push her out of the sport.

“I used to be cooking them out there a little bit, and I think they didn’t like that,” Johnson said.

She said the boys trying to make it hard on her actually made her tougher both physically and mentally.

Her grandmother, Connie Boone, said her grandfather would be proud of what Johnson has become.

“He might be crying but he would be happy about it,” her grandmother said. “You start them young, but you never know what the outcome is going to be.”

Johnson imagines the conversations she’d be having with her papa if he was still here.

“He would still be on my butt riding me, he’ll tell me maybe I need to fix something,” Johnson said. “He’ll be happy and I think he’ll be like ‘All right let’s get back to the drawing board. Let’s get ready for the next opponent.’”

She knows her papa is always watching, and she talks to him a lot at night.

“I just want to tell him that I’m going to keep pushing through even when it gets tough,” Johnson said. “He’s always telling me to push through because nobody cares. Nobody cares if you’re at your lowest, nobody cares.”

On Monday, fans chanted “Raven, Raven, Raven” as she walked off the court for the final time at Colonial Life Arena, Johnson’s moment was bigger than the scoreboard.

It was about diligence, progress and a promise kept.

With another game ahead and the possibility of a deeper tournament run, she isn’t finished. She continues to push and play for the voice that gave her a reason to begin.

Alyssia Hamilton is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

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