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Dawn Staley reaffirms 'passion' for college coaching after signing extension at South Carolina

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•about 9 hours•

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Dawn Staley
(Kirby Lee | USA TODAY Sports)

Last week, Dawn Staley made history with a contract extension at South Carolina. She’s now the highest-paid coach in women’s basketball history, and she made it clear she has no plans to go anywhere.

As for whether there could be an allure to the WNBA at some point in her coaching career, Staley reaffirmed her passion for the college game. Her reason was simple. She wants to lay the foundation for the next generation.

Staley’s new deal runs through the 2029-30 season and she will make $4 million annually, along with a $250,000 annual escalator. Although she wouldn’t owe anything if she decided to leave Columbia, Staley confirmed she doesn’t plan to do so. Instead, she wants to set South Carolina players up for success at the next level – a role she sees is crucial in a college coach.

“I think the impact, for me, is more in line with what I’m passionate about, and that’s young people,” Staley said on SiriusXM College Sports Radio. “That’s sort of like protecting our league, the WNBA, to make sure that … whoever comes from South Carolina, is prepared to handle all of it – the good, the bad, the ugly. Being a starter, being someone that has to come off the bench as a contributor. Being someone that never plays, but still handles that role like a pro.

“I want them to listen to their vets. I want them to be someone a coach can really rely on, no matter what role that they play. And I do think college coaches play a role in protecting our game at the next level.”

Staley is coming off her third national championship as South Carolina head coach, and the Gamecocks’ second in three years. All told, she has a 458-107 record in Columbia, including a 205-55 mark in SEC play en route to eight conference titles. South Carolina is 18-1 so far this season in the follow-up to its 2024 title.

That was part of the reason the Gamecocks worked to lock down their women’s basketball coach with a long-term deal. They did just that.

“Dawn Staley is a once-in-a-generation coach who has made a tremendous impact on the University of South Carolina,” Athletics Director Jeremiah Donati said in a statement. “She has elevated the sport of women’s basketball on the national level and here on campus and I am excited that she will be representing our University for many years to come.”