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Dawn Staley Shares Heartwarming News on Wednesday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 4:24 PM ET

Since taking over at South Carolina in 2008, Dawn Staley has guided the program to three NCAA titles, seven Final Four appearances and 13 seasons with 25 wins or more, compiling a 475‑110 record (.812 winning percentage) at the school.

Amid that backdrop of sustained excellence, a more personal victory emerged on Wednesday.

In a post on X, Staley shared that her close friend, Blakeleigh Thompson, "rang her bell" after completing treatment for leukemia, marking her official return to health.

"Great day! This moment I get to share with you is pretty special, pretty Godly-my friend Blakeleigh rang her bell today. She did it the same way she did her treatments-with a smile. She has touched me with her spirit so very deeply over the past 2 plus yrs. @aflac thank you! ❤️," Staley wrote.

Thompson first connected with Staley through Aflac’s My Special Aflac Duck program in 2023 and even handcrafted the custom chain Staley wears during games.

Great day! This moment I get to share with you is pretty special, pretty Godly-my friend Blakeleigh rang her bell today. She did it the same way she did her treatments-with a smile. She has touched me with her spirit so very deeply over the past 2 plus yrs. @aflac thank you! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/EbqXg4HTfH
— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) July 9, 2025

South Carolina’s 2024‑25 campaign once again put Staley and the Gamecocks in the national spotlight.

The program closed the season with a 35‑4 overall record and a 15‑1 mark in Southeastern Conference play, sharing the SEC regular‑season crown with Texas before capturing the conference tournament title in Greenville.

South Carolina advanced through the NCAA Tournament to the national championship game in Tampa only to fall to UConn, 82-59, and finish as runner‑up after national championships in 2022 and 2024.

The Gamecocks’ fan base, already galvanized by another banner‑worthy season, now rallies around a story of personal victory with Wednesday's announcement.

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

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