Dawn Staley Elected to Arts and Sciences

0:00On April 22nd, Don Staley, head coach of the South Carolina Women's Basketball Team, just got elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences as part of the 2026 class. This prestigious group, founded back in 1780, honors top leaders from all kinds of fields and now includes 252 members. It's a huge nod to her impact beyond the court. Staley's been leading the game coccs since 2008, wrecking up three national championships in 2017, 2022, and 2024. She's taken them to six straight final fours, putting South Carolina right up there with the all-time greats as only the second team to do it. She's got fans and peers buzzing about this honor, calling it a testament to her work as a coach, mentor, and role model. University President Michael Emeritus praised how she lived students, the school, and the whole community. She's the fourth from South Carolina to join, following a poet in 2020, the law school dean in 2023, and a geography professor.

1:02Last year, on top of coaching the U.S. national team to three Olympic gold medals, including as head coach in 2020, Staley's also a New York Times, best-selling author with her memoir on basketball, her Philly Roots, and life lessons from her mom. This election submits her legacy as a trailblazer, inspiring the next generation on and off the hardwood.