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Dawn Staley Receives Something for the First Time in Her 25-Year Career

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 1:41 PM ET

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley’s recruiting has paired elite high-school prospects with targeted transfer hits, often shaped by culture and fit.

One emblematic moment was the 2014 "There’s no place like home" weekend as South Carolina successfully kept No. 1 recruit A’ja Wilson in state, a flashpoint that foreshadowed the program’s national ascent.

On Monday, Staley shared on X that a top prospect sent her a handwritten thank-you note after a visit and wished the staff good luck t his season, the first such note of Staley’s 25-year coaching career, she said.

Staley added that the prospect is "a @GamecockWBB for all of our sake," a nod to both the recruit’s character and the standard of the program.

While the identity and decision timeline of the prospect were not disclosed, Staley’s public acknowledgment emphasized the relationship-first approach that has defined Staley's recruiting and player development over the past decade.

Good am! In my 25 years of coaching, this is a first. I just received a handwritten thank you note from a top prospect…thanking us for her visit and recruitment over the years and good luck on our season. Extraordinary human being! she’s a @GamecockWBB for all of our sake!
— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) August 18, 2025

Dawn Staley’s Championship Legacy at South Carolina

South Carolina is coming off five straight Final Four appearances, three national titles under Staley (2017, 2022, 2024) and an SEC run that has produced nine regular-season and nine tournament crowns since 2014.

Staley’s college head-coaching record sits at 647–190 across 25 seasons, including 475–110 (.812) at South Carolina over the last 17 years and 172-80 (.683) over the previous eight as head coach at Temple.

She is also the only person to win the Naismith Award as both a player and a coach and was inducted into both the Women’s and Naismith Memorial Basketball halls of fame.

As Team USA head coach in Tokyo 2020, she guided the Team USA to Olympic gold.

The 2023-24 Gamecocks went 38-0 to win the national title; in 2024-25, they returned to the championship game but fell short to Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies.

Nevertheless, Staley’s consistency remains unmatched in the current era of college basketball.

What This Moment Says About Recruiting Now

The detail that resonated was not the star ranking, but the note.

In a recruiting environment dominated by high-profile portal moves; name, image and likeness (NIL) deals and accelerated timelines, Staley’s post emphasized the continued value she places on respect, communication and leadership.

When a prospect slows down to write and a Hall of Fame coach chooses to elevate that gesture, it reflects a culture few can rival.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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