South Carolina will unveil a statue in honor of women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley on Wednesday.
Per the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network, plans for a statue for the legendary coach were initially revealed in 2023. On Monday, the ‘when’ and ‘where’ for the statue were revealed.
The statue will be unveiled at 4 p.m. ET at the intersection of Senate Street and Lincoln Street, next to the Pastides Alumni Center, in Columbia, South Carolina. The statue will be located half a mile from the A’ja Wilson statue, which sits in front of Colonial Life Arena, the home of the Gamecocks women’s basketball.
‘This tribute celebrates not only her championship legacy as a coach and player, but also her unwavering commitment to leadership, community empowerment and uplifting future generations,’ a news release read. ‘Dawn Staley’s influence continues to inspire both on and off the court, and this statue stands as a lasting symbol of excellence, resilience and pride for Columbia and the entire state of South Carolina.’
Staley and South Carolina fell short of securing the fourth national championship in 17 seasons when they fell to Paige Bueckers and UConn in the national championship game. However, Staley still has seven Final Four appearances, seven 30-win seasons and nine SEC tournament championships. Staley was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013 and into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
She will enter the 2025-26 season with a revamped roster, led by Florida State transfer Ta’Niya Latson, seeking a fourth national championship. Another title would tie her with LSU’s Kim Mulkey for the third-most in women’s college basketball history.