'Restless' Dawn Staley urges fight against 'disparities' in women's and men's basketball: "I speak up for the voiceless"

Dawn Staley isn't afraid to use her voice to improve the state of women's basketball. The South Carolina Gamecocks coach reiterated that stance in the latest episode of the "Our Place" series, which premiered on Monday on Virginia Sports TV's YouTube channel.

Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks walks across the court after their game against the South Florida Bulls at Colonial Life Arena on December 15, 2024. Photo: Getty

The short video featured Staley, who rose to prominence during her college career with the Virginia Cavaliers. She led Virginia to three Final Four appearances and a spot in the 1991 national championship game against Tennessee. In 1991 and 1992, Staley won the Naismith College Player of the Year award. During those two years, she was also named the female athlete of the year by the ACC.

A lot has changed since then, with Staley among those responsible for growing the women's game.

"For women’s basketball, I’ve seen where we’ve come from. But now, we’re at a place where we are valued a little bit differently. We’re in high demand," Staley said. (Timestamp 2:53)

However, Staley isn't content with those changes, urging more people to stand up for women's basketball and help level the playing field with the men's game.

"We’ve grown to the point of talking about the current happenings of our game," Staley said. "The comparisons of where men’s basketball is, where we are and where we can take off. If you’re not willing to speak up on the disparities, we’re not going to advance our game."

Staley knows the influence she possesses and is more than willing to lead the fight for the sport she loves.

"I speak up for the voiceless. I speak up for not just the present but also the future," Staley said. "It’s our job to make sure that we’re not sitting here 10 years from now in the same place. I still sit here restless and wanting to do more, but the future is incredibly bright."

Dawn Staley continues to impress in stellar basketball career

Dawn Staley's basketball career has gone to many places since her time with the Virginia Cavaliers. She won three straight Olympic gold medals with Team USA, capturing the top prize in 1996, 2000 and 2004. She also played in the WNBA and later became a coach at Temple and now at South Carolina.

Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks visits children after their game against the South Florida Bulls at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. Photo: Getty

Staley's legend grew with the Gamecocks, leading the basketball program to three NCAA titles in 2017, 2022 and 2024. Their title defense is off to a solid start, with South Carolina winning 11 of its first 12 games this 2024-25 season. The Gamecocks are coming off an 82-46 win over the Charleston Southern Buccaneers on Thursday.