It’s been a long, long time since the South Carolina Gamecocks lost a game—nearly an entire calendar year, in fact—and it couldn’t reflect much better on their renowned head coach.
Granted, Dawn Staley is not someone who needs any introduction, nor additional feathers in her cap. The two-time NCAA champion and three-time Naismith Coach of the Year has built South Carolina into a perennial powerhouse, and these days it’s almost expected that the Gamecocks will make deep runs in the SEC and NCAA Division I Tournaments. Staley herself was named Coach of the Year in both 2022 and 2023 by Naismith, WBCA and USBWA voters.
There’s an argument to be made, however, that this season has been Staley’s best coaching performance to date. Not only are the Gamecocks undefeated—sitting at 32-0 and winning SEC regular-season and tournament championships along the way—they’ve done so after a significant roster overhaul that Staley has navigated flawlessly.
South Carolina’s statistical resume speaks for itself
First things first: Staley would be an excellent Coach of the Year candidate based solely on the Gamecocks’ record. It’s rare to see a Division I team go undefeated across an entire season, and although South Carolina still has to win the 2024 NCAA Tournament…
