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Recognizing, honoring, and congratulating Dawn Staley, coach of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, for leading the undefeated 38-0 Gamecocks to victory in the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, her second championship in three seasons and third championship in her coaching career.
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WHEREAS, Dawn Michelle Staley was born May 4, 1970 to Clarence and Estelle Staley in North Philadelphia, growing up between 23rd and 25th and Diamond Streets in the Raymond Rosen Housing Projects; and
WHEREAS, Dawn Staley was a standout high school basketball player at North Philadelphia’s Murrell Dobbins Technical High School, winning three Public League championships and being named USA Today’s 1988 National High School Player of the Year during her senior year; and
WHEREAS, Dawn Staley would go on to attend the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, leading the Virginia Cavaliers to four NCAA Tournaments, three Final Fours, and one National Championship game appearance where she was named NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player; and
WHEREAS, Dawn Staley represented her country with distinction, being named USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year in 1994 and leading the 1996 U.S. Olympic team to an undefeated 60-0 gold medal campaign at the Atlanta Games; and
WHEREAS, Dawn Staley would win five Olympic gold medals with Team USA between 1996 and 2004, being selected to carry the flag of the United States during the opening ceremony parade of nations at the 2004 Athens Games and being named USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year again later that year; and
WHEREAS, Dawn Staley was selected ninth overall in the 1999 WNBA Draft by the Charlotte Sting, leading the Sting to a WNBA championship just two seasons later; and
WHEREAS, Temple University named Dawn Staley head coach of the women’s basketball team in 2000, commencing Staley’s legendary coaching career with a return to North Philadelphia that saw Temple win four Atlantic-10 Championships and make four NCAA Tournament appearances. Staley became the fastest coach in women’s basketball history to win 100 games en route to a 172-80 record during her eight years as Temple’s coach; and
WHEREAS, In 2013 Dawn Staley was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for her accomplishments in her playing and coaching career; and
WHEREAS, In 2017 Dawn Staley fulfilled a lifelong dream of winning a NCAA National Championship by winning her first NCAA Basketball Championship with the South Carolina Gamecocks over the Mississippi State Bulldogs, 67-55; and
WHEREAS, That same year Dawn Staley was named head coach of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team, leading Team USA to gold medals at the 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games; and
WHEREAS, Dawn Staley captured her second national championship in 2022 over the UConn Huskies, notably handing the UConn coach his first loss in twelve national championship appearances, 64-49; and
WHEREAS, On Sunday, April 7, 2024, Dawn Staley coached her team to the first perfect season in women’s college basketball since 2016, winning her third national championship over women’s basketball trailblazer Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes, 87-75; and
WHEREAS, Dawn Staley is now only the fifth coach to win at least three national championships in women’s basketball; and
WHEREAS, Dawn Staley won her third consecutive Naismith College Coach of the Year Award in 2024, her fourth time receiving the award during her illustrious career; and
WHEREAS, On December 20, 2017, the City of Philadelphia officially renamed the stretch of Diamond Street between 23rd and 25th Streets “Dawn Staley Lane” in tribute to her accomplishments in women’s basketball; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby recognizes, honors, and congratulates Dawn Staley, coach of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks for winning the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Dawn Staley as evidence of the true and sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
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