Sports
Dawn Staley created South Carolina's perfect championship season out of last year's loss
CLEVELAND — As Dawn Staley stood before her team during a meeting a night before the national championship game, she took a swig of water and began to cough.
“You about to cry, Coach?” a player called from the back of the room.
“No,” she said and then paused. “But I might on Sunday if we win.”
The players laughed, but her assistants sensed sincerity with those words. They’ve seen the burden Staley has carried this year as she has adjusted to a team that’s younger and looser. A team that sometimes wouldn’t respond to text messages or would show up late to meetings. A team that is so unlike the group that graduated a season ago.
Staley has jokingly referred to this season’s roster as a day care, and no one in the Gamecocks locker room really rebuffs that point. They wear it as a badge of honor with their own unique sense of humor. And yet, they won and won and won on the floor as they chased just the 10th undefeated season in women’s college basketball history.
The coaches huddled on the sideline with a minute to go, with the 87-75 win over Iowa assured, the clock just performative at this point and the national championship trophy all but added to their growing case. Staley’s tears began to fall. They continued to fall as she embraced her coaches and players, and as the clock finally expired. They continued during her postgame interview on the court and as she knelt over to catch her breath. She didn’t try to stop them. She wanted to handle the emotions in real time.
“It was emotional for me because of how it ended last year,” Staley said. “It’s heavy, it’s heavy. You carry the burden of every single one of your players, all the coaches and staff members that put so much into our team. And it’s a heavy load to be undefeated, to finish the job. And you get emotional because you just want that for them, and you’re happy that you’re able to — because only one team wins the national championship.”
Dawn Staley overcome with emotion after South Carolina natty win 🥹
Led the Gamecocks to a perfect season 👏 pic.twitter.com/8oLjeIrgwM
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 7, 2024
Last year, the Gamecocks were not that one team. They might’ve been the best team and most talented team. South Carolina led the rankings from preseason through the tournament and as the overwhelming favorite to get the job done. But the Gamecocks did not. They fell short, stunningly, to Iowa. That senior class, which went 129-9 over four seasons and lost just three games total in their junior and senior seasons (by a total of 7 points) did everything right, and yet, they did not end their careers with a win. They ended it like 350 other schools — in a loss.
“Last year rocked me,” Staley said. “It rocked me.”
In Staley’s mind, that didn’t completely compute.
How can a team that does everything right not also win the national title? How was she not able to get that group — players who never gave Staley a reason to complain or wince — over the finish line? How could the best team Staley had ever had not get that championship?
“I think it drove her,” assistant coach Lisa Boyer said. “We still talk about we didn’t get over the hill with that group. They were so talented and such a strong unit. … It was hard to understand.”
Staley was continuing to process the ending of last season when this season began. A team with five new starters. A transfer from Oregon. No one who averaged more than 20 minutes a game, and not a single player who had more than three career starts. In so many ways, it was the opposite of what she was working with last season.
Staley has always talked about the look, sound and feel of a team. And this one? It was loud and silly. The players talked, Staley says, about nothing in particular. It was not just unlike last year’s group. They were unlike any other team she had ever had. Not just in some of the mechanisms of how they played on the floor, but especially off the court.
In staff meetings, they’d use the words “pivot” and “meet them where they are” more than they ever had before. Staley talked about how, with such a young team, the coaches were going to need to be both coach and captain, in a way. It was more work, extra energy. They were building the plane as it taxied down the runway.
“If we would’ve stayed the way we were with the freshies,” assistant coach Jolette Law said, “it just wouldn’t have worked.”
“It’s push and pull, but the standard remains the same,” Boyer added. “You have to meet them halfway.”
That push and pull meant realizing that players were going to take 3s in transition. (“When have you ever seen a Dawn Staley group take a 3 in transition?” said Khadijah Sessions, a former player and assistant coach. “Never.”) It meant getting rid of the rule of no phones the night before games. It meant giving players four days off after the SEC title game. “She was like, ‘Guys, this is what they need. They need space. They need to recharge their batteries,’” Law said. “That’s just being able to understand the makeup and feel of what we have.”
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Junior Bree Hall said she didn’t truly appreciate how much Staley had adjusted to them until the Gamecocks’ swing to North Carolina and Duke a month into the season. While at a team dinner at The Cheesecake Factory, Hall asked the team’s director of basketball operations, Ariana Moore, whether she and the other players could order cheesecake for dessert.
“The last two years, when someone said, ‘You can ask Coach,’ it means, ‘don’t even ask,’” Hall said. “Don’t even bother.”
But Hall did. Staley relented. The players got their cheesecake.
In the midst of a confetti shower and tears, these are the proof points of perfection: Phones, days off, space, recharged batteries, cheesecake. It’s the best evidence that Staley, 2 1/2 decades into her coaching career, is far from finished. The tears are the evidence of the weight she carried through a year that tested her every day.
“This is probably the first time in my career that a team has more stamina in certain areas. Like much more stamina than I could discipline them for,” Staley said. “So I’ve learned to not fight certain battles. Not core value battles, not the core principle of who we are and who I stand for, but just that their identity, they play loose. They play free.”
Dawn Staley is feeling it 💃
🎥 @YahooSportspic.twitter.com/1cUnegLyop
— The Athletic WBB (@TheAthleticWBB) April 7, 2024
A year ago — after four seasons of a team doing everything right — the journey did not end in celebration. A year ago, it did not end with a trophy hoisted and a net draped across Staley’s shoulders. But Sunday, she climbed the ladder after a much different journey from ever before, a much harder journey in many ways. It was one that included more pivoting and adjusting, a test every day and reckoning with the ending to last season that rocked her to her core. The sight, sound and feel of this year were completely different, but so too was the ending. In many ways, Staley’s own sight, sound and feel are different because of this year.
The Gamecocks might not have done everything right, might not have even come close, but they were something else that is more rare: They were perfect.
(Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
Sports
Jason Day already told to tone down his bird-themed Malbon Golf outfits at Masters: report
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The Masters Tournament is all about tradition, and that includes everything down to what the golfers wear during the four days at Augusta National Golf Club.
That was on display last year when Australian star Jason Day was asked to keep his Malbon Golf outfits a bit more reserved. But it seems that he’s already starting to push the boundary before teeing off for his first round on Thursday.
Day, a former world No. 1 golfer, was spotted on Monday for his practice round in Malbon’s “Birds of Georgia” collection, wearing a top that featured a bunch of different birds, from orioles to cardinals to woodpeckers and more. The outfit was supposed to have matching pants, but it was reported by Sports Illustrated that Day was told by Augusta National to wear normal, solid-colored pants instead.
Jason Day of Australia plays a shot from the 12th hole tee box during a practice round before the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., on April 6, 2026. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
This came after Malbon dropped Day’s fits for the week on social media.
“If you are on the course and you are tuned in with nature and know the sounds of birds, you’ll make more birdies,” Malbon Golf founder Stephen Malbon told the outlet about Day’s lineup for the week. “It’s inspired by Native American beliefs. Each one of these birds has a different meaning. I’ve been sending the noises of the birds to Jason for the last six months. Hopefully, he’s trying to stay in touch with nature.”
Throughout the week, Day’s birdwatcher-themed outfits will even feature a vest, set for Wednesday’s practice round.
TIGER WOODS STEPPING BACK INTO COMPETITIVE GOLF AS MASTERS LOOM
Day isn’t the only Malbon athlete in the field either. Sungjae Im will be rocking Malbon’s bird-themed clothing.
In 2024, Day made national headlines with his first Masters collaboration with Malbon. He was spotted wearing a vest that had “No. 313. Malbon Golf Championship” written across it in bold lettering with accompanying blue, baggy pants.
Jason Day of Australia wears a detailed vest during a practice round before the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., on April 6, 2026. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
But, when Day showed up to the course for his next round, which came on the same day due to a rainout on Thursday, the vest was no longer being worn.
Day revealed that Augusta National told him to remove the sweater, and as he didn’t want to ruffle any feathers during the first major of the year, he did what he was told.
“My agent got a call from high above and said, ‘Hey, we need Jason to take that vest off.’”
Day said last year’s original Masters plans were “a lot crazier” than the 2024 lineup, and the Masters requested an early look at what he was expected to wear. Plans had to be changed.
Jason Day of Australia practices at the tournament practice area before the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., on April 6, 2026. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
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But, while Day admitted he was “not here to step on anyone’s toes because I know that when we play at the Masters, it’s all about the Masters,” his outfits this week already seem to be pushing the limit.
This will be Day’s 15th Masters Tournament appearance at Augusta National, with his best finish coming in 2011 when he finished tied for second.
Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
Sports
Months after venting about losing, WNBA star Angel Reese has been traded to Atlanta
Angel Reese has a new WNBA home.
After spending her first two seasons with the Chicago Sky, the two-time All Star has been traded to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028, the teams announced Monday morning. Atlanta also receives the option to swap second-round picks with Chicago in 2028.
“An Angel’s DREAM,” Reese posted on X. “ATL WHAT UP?!”
Reese was already a star before coming to the WNBA after helping Louisiana State win the national championship over Caitlin Clark and Iowa in 2023 and leading the Tigers back to the Elite Eight the following year.
Selected by Chicago with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 draft, Reese finished as runner-up to Clark in rookie-of-the-year voting and led the league in rebounds per game in each of her first two seasons. Overall, she has averaged 14.1 points and 12.9 rebounds a game.
The Sky have gone 23-61 and missed the playoffs both seasons since drafting Reese. On Sept. 3, the Chicago Tribune published quotes from the star player that indicated her frustration with the team’s inability to build a winning roster and an inclination to leave if the organization isn’t able to get it right.
“I’d like to be here for my career, but if things don’t pan out, obviously I might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me,” Reese told the Tribune.
After the Sky’s 88-64 victory over the Connecticut Sun that night, Reese told reporters she had apologized to her teammates about the article.
“I think the language is taken out of context,” she said, “and I really didn’t intentionally mean to put down my teammates, because they’ve been through this with me throughout the whole year. They’ve busted their ass, just how I bust my ass, they showed up for me through thick and thin, and in the locker room when nobody could see anything.”
Reese did not play for Chicago again. She was suspended half a game for her comments, which were deemed “detrimental to the team,” served a separate mandatory one-game suspension by the WNBA for receiving eight technical fouls during the season and missed the final three games of the season with what was listed as a back injury.
The Sky said in a statement Monday that the “trade is designed to achieve roster balance and represents a great opportunity for all parties.”
“Angel has achieved many record-breaking milestones in her first two years in the WNBA and has been a competitive force for the Sky,” the team wrote. “We are thankful for her many important contributions to this league and this game, and we know she will continue to have a big impact on the court and beyond.”
Reese joins an Atlanta team that went 30-14 and finished first in the Eastern Conference before losing to the Indiana Fever in the first round of the playoffs. The roster includes Allisha Gray, who finished fourth in the MVP voting last season, as well as sixth player of the year Naz Hillmon and All-Star Brionna Jones.
“Angel is a dynamic talent and a perfect fit for what we are building in Atlanta,” Dream general manager Dan Padover said in a statement. “She has already proven herself as one of the most impactful players in the league, and her competitiveness, production and drive to win align seamlessly with our vision. This is an exciting moment for our organization and our fans.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sports
Dawn Staley gives classy answer after Geno Auriemma question following national title loss: ‘It’s UCLA’s day’
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South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley was disappointed how the Gamecocks’ season ended on Sunday afternoon in Phoenix, a 79-51 loss to the UCLA Bruins in the national championship game.
During her post-game interview, Staley was asked about what happened in the Gamecocks’ prior Final Four matchup against UConn, where she and head coach Geno Auriemma had a tense exchange after South Carolina advanced to the title game for the third year in a row.
Rather than hash out more of her thoughts, Staley had a classy response.
Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks watches during the first half of the NCAA women’s basketball championship game against the UCLA Bruins at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on April 5, 2026. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos)
“I don’t want – this is UCLA’s day, right? Let’s keep it UCLA, them winning the national championship,” Staley told reporters, via The Athletic. “… We’re not going to damper UCLA’s day with it.”
Before this national title contest, Staley was spotted having a cordial experience greeting UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close — a much different experience than how Friday night ended with Auriemma.
UCLA WINS FIRST WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NATIONAL TITLE IN PROGRAM HISTORY WITH DOMINANT WIN OVER SOUTH CAROLINA
After the Gamecocks defeated the Huskies, Staley and Auriemma went viral with their interaction at midcourt, where Auriemma appeared to enrage Staley before walking off.
This time, Staley and Close hugged and shared a few words. During the exchange, Staley “looked around afterward like, ‘see??’”, per NBC Sports.
Staley was showing a bit of sarcasm, as she noted Auriemma didn’t shake her hand before the Final Four tipped off between the two teams on Friday night.
After the Gamecocks’ victory over the Huskies, Staley was asked what exactly happened with Auriemma, though she tried to explain her focus in helping her team lock in for the national title game. If they won, it would’ve been the fourth national championship in the last 10 years for South Carolina.
Head coach Cori Close of the UCLA Bruins watches during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the NCAA women’s basketball national championship at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on April 5, 2026. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
“For me, no distractions at this time. I’m concentrating on winning a national championship, that’s it,” Staley said at the time. “That’s a little disheartening. This is sports, sometimes things like this happen. Continue to focus on my team and ability to advance in this tournament and hopefully win another national championship.”
UCONN’S UNDEFEATED SEASON CRUMBLES AS SOUTH CAROLINA GETS SWEET REVENGE AGAINST REIGNING CHAMPS
Auriemma later released a statement, apologizing for his behavior after the loss.
“There’s no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina. It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut,” the Hall of Fame coach said in a statement on Saturday. “I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them.”
Staley added she had “no idea” why Auriemma was angry after the game, though she guessed perhaps he was ticked off by the lack of handshake before the game on his own end. Either way, Staley was moving forward.
UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close shakes hands with South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley after defeating South Carolina 79-51 in the NCAA women’s championship game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on April 4, 2026. (Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times)
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“I don’t know what he came with after the game, but, hey, sometimes things get heated. We move on,” she said.
For UCLA, it was the first time the women’s basketball program has won the national title, as their emotional celebration ensued following the game in Phoenix.
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