"It's been a while": Dawn Staley gets nostalgic & reflects on workout sessions with South Carolina coaching staff

Dawn Staley's South Carolina Gamecocks delivered another commanding performance on Sunday, securing a 78-62 win over the University of South Florida Bulls. While the victory was significant, it wasn’t just the game that had fans talking. Head coach Dawn Staley reflected on her nostalgic gym moments with the Gamecocks' sports performance coach, Molly Binetti.

Two days earlier, Binetti shared a photo on X that caught fans' attention. The image featured her, Staley, and a few players posing in front of a gym mirror, capturing an unfiltered moment of their workout sessions. The caption read:

"Feels like forever since we’ve been in the CLA for a home game."

Staley reshared the post saying:

"It’s been awhile but we will take it!"

In the photo, Staley could be seen humorously tucking her t-shirt into her mouth. The partnership between Dawn Staley and Molly Binetti has become a key ingredient in South Carolina’s basketball success.

Molly Binetti building champions behind the scenes talking about Dawn Staley

Molly Binetti’s role as South Carolina’s sports performance coach is a cornerstone of the Gamecocks' physical dominance. In a post-game conference, she said:

"The summer is really my time to shine. This is really the time too where extra work plays a big role in what we do. I only get so many hours with them a week. We can’t make them do anything else, but I think the culture of our program and the buy-in that our players have with us really has determined how far we go."

Last summer, Binetti faced one of her biggest challenges while evaluating the team’s physical condition.

“I told coach [Dawn Staley] at the beginning of the summer that this is probably the most unathletic team that we’ve ever had since I’ve been here," Binetti admitted.

The results of Binetti’s training methods have earned her widespread recognition. The Gamecocks’ physical presence on the court has led to the popular nickname “Body by Binetti.”

“The results of our team and the successes we’ve had—and just the physical nature with which we play, the strength, the speed, and all those things—somebody came up with the phrase ‘Body by Binetti,’ and it just kind of blew up,” Binetti shared.

Binetti’s impact goes far beyond South Carolina’s program. Last September, she officially launched her own business. While Staley leads the team on the front with her outstanding winning experience, Binetti has been an unassailable pillar in the team's success.