Staley Named Naismith Coach of the Year Finalist
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley is one of four finalists for 2024 Werner Ladder Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today. She has won the award three of the last four seasons, including the last two.
Staley, who is the two-time reigning Naismith Coach of the Year, has led her team to its third-straight NCAA Tournament overall No. 1 seed with the Gamecocks entering the NCAA Tournament undefeated for the second-consecutive season. After losing seven players to graduation, including all five starters from the 2023 NCAA Final Four team, Staley entered the season with just one player who had ever started a game as a Gamecock. Still the talent level that returned and was added via the transfer portal and the signing class had the team slotted at No. 6/4 in the preseason national polls. South Carolina dominated its historic season-opening top-10 matchup in Paris and shot to the top of both polls, where it has remained for the entire season. The Gamecocks’ seven wins over ranked opponents are the second-most in the country and their 17 wins over NET top-50 teams lead the nation.
South Carolina swept the SEC Regular-Season and Tournament titles for the sixth time in the last 10 seasons, posting a perfect 16-0 SEC regular-season record for the third time in program history. Already named National Coach of the Year by The Athletic, ESPN, The Sporting News and USBWA, Staley drew SEC Coach of the Year honors from her colleagues for the seventh time this season, leaving her just one behind legendary Pat Summitt for the most selections in league history.
Once again this year, fans will have a say in determining the winner through the Naismith Awards Fan Vote presented by Jersey Mike’s. Starting March 26, fans can visit www.naismithfanvote.com or on Twitter (@MarchMadnessWBB and @NaismithTrophy) to cast their ballot for one of the four Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year finalists. Voting ends at 5 p.m. ET on April 2, and fans are limited to one vote per day. The fan vote will account for five percent of the total vote.
No. 1/1 South Carolina advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the 10th straight season, heading to Albany, N.Y., where the Gamecocks will face the winner of tonight’s second-round game between No. 5 seed Oklahoma and fourth-seeded Indiana in the Albany 1 Regional semifinal.
Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for the most up-to-date information on South Carolina women’s basketball.
2024 Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year Finalists
Lisa Bluder, Iowa
Lindsay Gottlieb, Southern Cal
Dawn Staley, South Carolina
Tara VanDerveer, Stanford
