A 14-foot, 1,000-pound statue of Dawn Staley has been unveiled on University of South Carolina’s campus.
On Wednesday (April 30), Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann called for city workers to remove the tarp and a Gamecock flag that had been obscuring the artwork. Once it came down, it revealed the statue that shows Staley at the top of a ladder cutting down the championship nets while wearing a Gamecock hat.
“This tribute celebrates not only her championship legacy as a coach and player, but also her unwavering commitment to leadership, community empowerment, and uplifting future generations,” the City of Columbia said in a statement.
Staley has been at the helm of the Gamecocks since 2008, guiding the program to three national titles and seven Final Four appearances, which are feats never before achieved in the team’s history. She’s achieved seven 30-win seasons, in addition to nine SEC tournament championships. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, a year after being inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Her statue is located a half-mile from legendary South Carolina player A’ja Wilson’s statue, which sits right in front of Colonial Life Arena.