Dawn Staley, regarded as one of the greatest women’s basketball coaches in history, showed her kindness as she visited South Carolina’s underdog opponent earlier this week.
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley spent time with Presbyterian before defeating the Blue Hose in the school’s first-ever appearance in March Madness.
Staley visited Presbyterian at the request of head coach Alaura Sharp, whose team made its first-ever March Madness appearance after clinching the Big South title. Following the Gamecocks’ crushing 52-point victory on Friday, Sharp heaped praise on Staley for her pregame gesture.
“I made sure to tell them she didn’t have to come by,” Sharp said. “She didn’t have to do that. But she knows that she has a platform and how people feel about her. I just think that shows why she is who she is. She’s a good person. And I appreciate her investing in our program.”
Sharp laughed when revealing the reaction of her players to Staley’s arrival, adding: “I watched the video of their reaction when she walked in probably 12 times because I wanted to see each person and how they reacted.
I mean, their faces, it just shows what she means to everyone that’s either coaching or involved in the women’s game. Our players were excited.”
Presbyterian College is a small private school in Clinton, South Carolina.
It represents one of the smallest Division I schools in the country, with an enrollment of just under 1,000 students – but the team qualified for the tournament by catching fire down the stretch, winning three successive games to clinch the Big South conference tournament and qualify for the First Four.
Presbyterian faced Sacred Heart, another No. 16 seed and automatic bid, at Colonial Life Arena and secured a 49-42 win. When the March Madness bracket was set, Sharp reached out to Staley to see if she was willing to meet the team ahead of their clash with Sacred Heart.
Staley, who’s gone viral several times for her displays of sportsmanship and kindness toward opponents including paying a dinner tab for Norfolk State last year, was more than happy to speak to the Presbyterian basketball team.
“They requested it … and if they want to meet me, I’m gonna make it possible for them to meet me,” Staley said after the game. “I think it’s important for us, even if they just know some of the history of our game. I think that was really important. And I’m all for making sure our history is in a great place.”
The win for Staley’s South Carolina ensured the team moved to 33-0 and set up a second-round matchup against No. 8 seed North Carolina on Sunday, March 24.
News
BREAKING: Legendary Olympian Nadia Comăneci, the first athlete in gymnastics history to score a perfect 10.0 at the 1976 Summer Olympics, has sent a “devastating” message that could impact Simone Biles’ popularity..
Nadia Comăneci’s “Devastating” Message: What It Means for Simone Biles’ Popularity In the world of gymnastics, Nadia Comăneci is a name etched in golden letters. The Romanian…
VIDEO: Tyreek Hill Fires Brutal Shots At Noah Lyles, Claims He’ll Beat The Olympic Champion In A Race
VIDEO: Tyreek Hill Fires Brutal Shots At Noah Lyles, Claims He’ll Beat The Olympic Champion In A Race Tyreek Hill and Kay Adams (Photo via @UpAndAdamsShow Twitter)…
Simoпe Biles υrges the US sports delegatioп: ‘Kick Brittпey Griпer to the cυrb,’ ‘We caп’t have those who kпeel waviпg oυr flag”
In a surprising twist ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Simone Biles, the celebrated American gymnast, has reportedly called for the expulsion of basketball star Brittney Griner…
Simone Biles Reveals Her Bad Experience With Botox she recently got Botox for her birthday
The Olympic gymnast got candid with her fans on social media revealing she recently got Botox for her birthday. Simone Biles of the United States competes on…
Athlete disqualified from Olympic Games seconds into event over her outfit,The Olympian made a bold choice
Athlete disqualified from Olympic Games seconds into event over her outfit An Olympic athlete was disqualified on Friday after she wore an outfit that bore a ‘political’…
End of content
No more pages to load