Dawn Staley
Encyclopedia
Dawn Michelle Staley is an American basketball
player and coach. Staley is a three-time Olympian and was elected to carry the United States flag
at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics
. She was named the University of South Carolina
women's head basketball coach on May 7, 2008. After winning the gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics
, she went to play professionally in the American Basketball League and the WNBA
. In 2011, Staley was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history.
in Charlottesville, Virginia
. During her four seasons in college, she led her team to four NCAA Tournaments
, three Final Four
s and one National Championship game. She was named the ACC female athlete of the year and the national player of the year in 1991 and 1992. Staley finished her college career with 2,135 points and holds the NCAA record for career steals with 454. She finished her career at Virginia as the school's all-time scoring leader and as the ACC's all-time leader in assists at 729, but those records have since been broken by former UVA stars Monica Wright
and Sharnee Zoll
, respectively. Her number 24 is retired at UVA. Staley competed with USA Basketball
as a member of the 1992 Jones Cup Team that won the Gold in Taipei
.
In 1994-5, after graduation, Staley played professional basketball in France
in Tarbes
, Italy
, Brazil
, and Spain
before joining the ABL and then the WNBA.
, Staley was selected with the ninth overall pick by the Charlotte Sting
. In 2001, she led the Sting to the Championship game of the WNBA
playoffs.
On August 1, 2005, Staley was traded to the Houston Comets
. Staley announced before the start of the WNBA season that she would be retiring after the Comets season was over. The Comets made the playoffs and faced the Sacramento Monarchs
in the first round. The Monarchs swept the Comets and won the series 2-0, ending Staley's career. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in the fifteen year history of the WNBA.
that defended the gold medal.
She won a third gold medal with Team USA at the 2004 Games
in Athens. Her Olympic performance lead to her being named 2004 USA Basketball Female Athlete Of The Year at the end of the year. Before the Games, she was selected to carry the flag of the United States
during the parade of nations at the opening ceremony.
style="background:#D3D3D3"|
| align="left" | 1999
| align="left" | Charlotte
| 32 || 32 || 33.3 || .415 || .317 || .934 || 2.3 || 5.5 || 1.2 || 0.1 || 2.81 || 11.5
|-
| align="left" | 2000
| align="left" | Charlotte
| 32 || 32 || 34.3 || .372 || .330 || .878 || 2.4 || 5.9 || 1.2 || 0.0 || 2.84 || 8.8
|-
| align="left" | 2001
| align="left" | Charlotte
| 32 || 32 || 36.0 || .381 || .371 || .895 || 2.2 || 5.6 || 1.6 || 0.0 || 3.13 || 9.3
|-
| align="left" | 2002
| align="left" | Charlotte
| 32 || 32 || 33.2 || .364 || .398 || .762 || 1.8 || 5.1 || 1.5 || 0.0 || 2.50 || 8.7
|-
| align="left" | 2003
| align="left" | Charlotte
| 34 || 34 || 31.9 || .417 || .389 || .836 || 1.7 || 5.1 || 1.4 || 0.1 || 2.29 || 7.9
|-
| align="left" | 2004
| align="left" | Charlotte
| 34 || 34 || 33.6 || .431 || .407 || .759 || 1.7 || 5.0 || 1.3 || 0.1 || 2.18 || 8.9
|-
| align="left" | 2005
*
| align="left" | Charlotte
| 23 || 23 || 29.7 || .405 || .405 || .767 || 2.3 || 5.3 || 1.3 || 0.0 || 1.83 || 6.3
|-
| align="left" | 2005
*
| align="left" | Houston
| 10 || 3 || 22.1 || .357 || .286 || .900 || 1.7 || 2.8 || 0.6 || 0.1 || 1.20 || 3.3
|-
| align="left" | 2005
| align="left" | Total
| 33 || 26 || 27.4 || .396 || .375 || .800 || 2.1 || 4.5 || 1.1 || 0.0 || 1.64 || 5.4
|-
| align="left" | 2006
| align="left" | Houston
| 34 || 34 || 29.9 || .420 || .427 || .806 || 2.2 || 3.9 || 1.0 || 0.2 || 2.24 || 7.4
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |8 years, 2 teams
| 263 || 256 || 32.4 || .399 || .376 || .824 || 2.0 || 5.1 || 1.3 || 0.1 || 2.44 || 8.5
| align="left" | 1999
| align="left" | Charlotte
| 4 || 4 || 39.3 || .325 || .438 || .833 || 1.3 || 5.8 || 0.8 || 0.0 || 2.75 || 12.0
|-
| align="left" | 2001
| align="left" | Charlotte
| 8 || 8 || 37.6 || .416 || .500 || .810 || 2.3 || 4.4 || 1.1 || 0.3 || 4.25 || 11.8
|-
| align="left" | 2002
| align="left" | Charlotte
| 2 || 2 || 39.0 || .286 || .200 || .500 || 2.5 || 5.0 || 1.5 || 0.0 || 2.00 || 8.5
|-
| align="left" | 2003
| align="left" | Charlotte
| 2 || 2 || 29.0 || .353 || .500 || .400 || 2.5 || 3.5 || 2.0 || 0.0 || 2.00 || 9.0
|-
| align="left" | 2005
| align="left" | Houston
| 5 || 0 || 25.0 || .462 || .375 || .857 || 0.8 || 2.8 || 1.8 || 0.0 || 1.40 || 4.2
|-
| align="left" | 2006
| align="left" | Houston
| 2 || 2 || 20.0 || .143 || .333 || .000 || 2.5 || 1.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 2.00 || 1.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |6 years, 2 teams
| 23 || 18 || 33.0 || .366 || .423 || .754 || 1.8 || 4.0 || 1.2 || 0.1 || 2.78 || 8.7
named Staley the head coach of its women's basketball program. In her first season, 2000–01, Temple University
advanced to the WNIT
. In 2001, 2002, and 2004, her teams won the Atlantic 10 tournament to qualify for the NCAA tournament.
In 2004-05 season, Staley's Owls went 28-4 on the year, including a perfect 19-0 against Atlantic 10 opponents. However, they lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Rutgers. Staley reached the 100 win plateau in the A-10 Semifinals vs Xavier
that season, becoming the fastest coach in women's basketball to achieve that.
On May 7, 2008, it was confirmed by Temple University that Staley would leave Temple for the recently vacated coaching position at the University of South Carolina
. She left Temple with the best overall record of 172-80, along with six NCAA appearances and four Atlantic 10 titles.
During the 2008 Summer Olympic Games
in Beijing, China, Staley served as an assistant coach under Team USA head coach Anne Donovan
and helped the Americans win their fourth straight gold medal in women's basketball and sixth in their past seven Olympic appearances.
Recreation Center. The Center focuses on academics and athletics and sponsors basketball leagues and other fund-raising activities. She is also currently writing a four-book series loosely based on her childhood.
In 2006, Staley and other individuals became prominent investors in a Foxwoods slots casino proposed for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In September 2008, facing massive opposition at the originally proposed waterfront location, backers for the slots casino decided to seek a new location in the Center City area, next to Philadelphia's Chinatown community. As of January, 2009, the casino still does not have a building permit.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and coach. Staley is a three-time Olympian and was elected to carry the United States flag
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
. She was named the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
women's head basketball coach on May 7, 2008. After winning the gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Basketball contests at the 1996 Olympic Games were held from July 20, 1996 to August 4, 1996. Games took place at the Morehouse College Gymnasium and the Georgia Dome. For the second straight Olympic games, the American men's team composed almost entirely of NBA players won the gold medal...
, she went to play professionally in the American Basketball League and the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
. In 2011, Staley was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history.
High school years
Staley was named the national high school player of the year during her final season at Dobbins Tech High School in Philadelphia.College years
Staley attended the University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
. During her four seasons in college, she led her team to four NCAA Tournaments
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
, three Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
s and one National Championship game. She was named the ACC female athlete of the year and the national player of the year in 1991 and 1992. Staley finished her college career with 2,135 points and holds the NCAA record for career steals with 454. She finished her career at Virginia as the school's all-time scoring leader and as the ACC's all-time leader in assists at 729, but those records have since been broken by former UVA stars Monica Wright
Monica Wright
Monica Wright is a professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA and Botaş SK of the Turkish Women's League. She was selected second overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2010 WNBA Entry Draft.-Early life:...
and Sharnee Zoll
Sharnee Zoll
Sharnee Zoll is an American point guard that plays professional basketball throughout Europe.-Personal:...
, respectively. Her number 24 is retired at UVA. Staley competed with USA Basketball
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
as a member of the 1992 Jones Cup Team that won the Gold in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
.
In 1994-5, after graduation, Staley played professional basketball in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in Tarbes
Tarbes Gespe Bigorre
Tarbes Gespe Bigorre is a French basketball club, taking part to the professional French league for women, the LFB, and to European Cups ....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
before joining the ABL and then the WNBA.
ABL
In 1996, she joined the Richmond Rage of the American Basketball League (ABL) and led the team to the ABL finals in 1997. The following season, the team moved to Staley's hometown of Philadelphia.WNBA
In the 1999 WNBA Draft1999 WNBA Draft
1999 WNBA Draft - 6 April 1999*On September 15, 1998, two more players were assigned prior to the expansion draft.*On April 6, 1999 a WNBA expansion draft took place.*On May 3, 1999 another round of player allocation took place....
, Staley was selected with the ninth overall pick by the Charlotte Sting
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
. In 2001, she led the Sting to the Championship game of the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
playoffs.
On August 1, 2005, Staley was traded to the Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
. Staley announced before the start of the WNBA season that she would be retiring after the Comets season was over. The Comets made the playoffs and faced the Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
in the first round. The Monarchs swept the Comets and won the series 2-0, ending Staley's career. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in the fifteen year history of the WNBA.
Team USA
Staley played for Team USA throughout her career. In 1994 she competed in the World Championships and was named the USA basketball Female Athlete of the Year. She led the 1996 team to an undefeated record of 60-0 and the gold medal at the Olympic games in Atlanta. She was also a member of the 2000 Olympic teamBasketball at the 2000 Summer Olympics
-Group B:-Championship bracket:-Classification matches:-Preliminary round:The four best teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinal round.-Group A:-Group B:-Championship bracket:...
that defended the gold medal.
She won a third gold medal with Team USA at the 2004 Games
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena in Athens, Greece for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex....
in Athens. Her Olympic performance lead to her being named 2004 USA Basketball Female Athlete Of The Year at the end of the year. Before the Games, she was selected to carry the flag of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the parade of nations at the opening ceremony.
style="background:#D3D3D3"|
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 1999
1999 WNBA season
-External links:**...
| align="left" | Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
| 32 || 32 || 33.3 || .415 || .317 || .934 || 2.3 || 5.5 || 1.2 || 0.1 || 2.81 || 11.5
|-
| align="left" | 2000
2000 WNBA season
-External links:**...
| align="left" | Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
| 32 || 32 || 34.3 || .372 || .330 || .878 || 2.4 || 5.9 || 1.2 || 0.0 || 2.84 || 8.8
|-
| align="left" | 2001
2001 WNBA season
-External links:**...
| align="left" | Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
| 32 || 32 || 36.0 || .381 || .371 || .895 || 2.2 || 5.6 || 1.6 || 0.0 || 3.13 || 9.3
|-
| align="left" | 2002
2002 WNBA season
-External links:***...
| align="left" | Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
| 32 || 32 || 33.2 || .364 || .398 || .762 || 1.8 || 5.1 || 1.5 || 0.0 || 2.50 || 8.7
|-
| align="left" | 2003
2003 WNBA season
-External links:***...
| align="left" | Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
| 34 || 34 || 31.9 || .417 || .389 || .836 || 1.7 || 5.1 || 1.4 || 0.1 || 2.29 || 7.9
|-
| align="left" | 2004
2004 WNBA season
-External links:***...
| align="left" | Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
| 34 || 34 || 33.6 || .431 || .407 || .759 || 1.7 || 5.0 || 1.3 || 0.1 || 2.18 || 8.9
|-
| align="left" | 2005
2005 WNBA season
-External links:***...
*
| align="left" | Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
| 23 || 23 || 29.7 || .405 || .405 || .767 || 2.3 || 5.3 || 1.3 || 0.0 || 1.83 || 6.3
|-
| align="left" | 2005
2005 WNBA season
-External links:***...
*
| align="left" | Houston
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
| 10 || 3 || 22.1 || .357 || .286 || .900 || 1.7 || 2.8 || 0.6 || 0.1 || 1.20 || 3.3
|-
| align="left" | 2005
2005 WNBA season
-External links:***...
| align="left" | Total
| 33 || 26 || 27.4 || .396 || .375 || .800 || 2.1 || 4.5 || 1.1 || 0.0 || 1.64 || 5.4
|-
| align="left" | 2006
2006 WNBA season
-External links:*******...
| align="left" | Houston
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
| 34 || 34 || 29.9 || .420 || .427 || .806 || 2.2 || 3.9 || 1.0 || 0.2 || 2.24 || 7.4
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |8 years, 2 teams
| 263 || 256 || 32.4 || .399 || .376 || .824 || 2.0 || 5.1 || 1.3 || 0.1 || 2.44 || 8.5
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 1999
| align="left" | Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
| 4 || 4 || 39.3 || .325 || .438 || .833 || 1.3 || 5.8 || 0.8 || 0.0 || 2.75 || 12.0
|-
| align="left" | 2001
| align="left" | Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
| 8 || 8 || 37.6 || .416 || .500 || .810 || 2.3 || 4.4 || 1.1 || 0.3 || 4.25 || 11.8
|-
| align="left" | 2002
| align="left" | Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
| 2 || 2 || 39.0 || .286 || .200 || .500 || 2.5 || 5.0 || 1.5 || 0.0 || 2.00 || 8.5
|-
| align="left" | 2003
| align="left" | Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
| 2 || 2 || 29.0 || .353 || .500 || .400 || 2.5 || 3.5 || 2.0 || 0.0 || 2.00 || 9.0
|-
| align="left" | 2005
| align="left" | Houston
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
| 5 || 0 || 25.0 || .462 || .375 || .857 || 0.8 || 2.8 || 1.8 || 0.0 || 1.40 || 4.2
|-
| align="left" | 2006
| align="left" | Houston
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
| 2 || 2 || 20.0 || .143 || .333 || .000 || 2.5 || 1.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 2.00 || 1.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |6 years, 2 teams
| 23 || 18 || 33.0 || .366 || .423 || .754 || 1.8 || 4.0 || 1.2 || 0.1 || 2.78 || 8.7
Coaching career
After the 1999-2000 college basketball season, Temple UniversityTemple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
named Staley the head coach of its women's basketball program. In her first season, 2000–01, Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
advanced to the WNIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
. In 2001, 2002, and 2004, her teams won the Atlantic 10 tournament to qualify for the NCAA tournament.
In 2004-05 season, Staley's Owls went 28-4 on the year, including a perfect 19-0 against Atlantic 10 opponents. However, they lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Rutgers. Staley reached the 100 win plateau in the A-10 Semifinals vs Xavier
Xavier
Most uses of Xavier are directly or indirectly derived from St. Francis Xavier and are therefore likely to have a Catholic connotation. It may refer to:* The given name Xavier* The surname Xavier* Xavier , the ring name of pro wrestler John Jirus...
that season, becoming the fastest coach in women's basketball to achieve that.
On May 7, 2008, it was confirmed by Temple University that Staley would leave Temple for the recently vacated coaching position at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
. She left Temple with the best overall record of 172-80, along with six NCAA appearances and four Atlantic 10 titles.
During the 2008 Summer Olympic Games
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing, China, Staley served as an assistant coach under Team USA head coach Anne Donovan
Anne Donovan
Anne Donovan is an American retired basketball player and the current head coach of the women's basketball team at Seton Hall University. She was formerly an assistant coach, then interim head coach of the New York Liberty of the WNBA...
and helped the Americans win their fourth straight gold medal in women's basketball and sixth in their past seven Olympic appearances.
Head coaching record
Personal life
Staley now heads the Dawn Staley Foundation, which gives middle-school children a positive influence in their lives by sponsoring an after-school program at the Hank GathersHank Gathers
Eric "Hank" Gathers was an American college basketball star at Loyola Marymount University who collapsed and died during a game. He was the second player in NCAA Division I history to lead the nation in scoring and rebounding in the same season...
Recreation Center. The Center focuses on academics and athletics and sponsors basketball leagues and other fund-raising activities. She is also currently writing a four-book series loosely based on her childhood.
- Gave her 1996 Olympic gold medalGold medalA gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
to her mother, Estelle, whom she cites as the biggest influence in her life.
- In 1996, she appeared in an episode of Martin (TV series)Martin (TV series)Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions that aired for five seasons, from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on Fox...
, along with other members of the 1996 USA BasketballUSA BasketballUSA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
Women's Team: Rebecca LoboRebecca LoboRebecca Rose Lobo-Rushin is an American television basketball analyst and a former player in the professional Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 to 2003...
, Sheryl SwoopesSheryl SwoopesSheryl Denise Swoopes is an American professional basketball player who, subsequent to being waived into free agency, signed to re-join the WNBA to play with the Tulsa Shock in 2011. She was the first player to be signed in the WNBA when it was created. She has won three Olympic Gold Medals and...
, and Teresa EdwardsTeresa Edwards-External links:******...
.
- July 24, 2004 was proclaimed Dawn Staley Day in CharlotteCharlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
by Mayor Pat McCrory.
In 2006, Staley and other individuals became prominent investors in a Foxwoods slots casino proposed for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In September 2008, facing massive opposition at the originally proposed waterfront location, backers for the slots casino decided to seek a new location in the Center City area, next to Philadelphia's Chinatown community. As of January, 2009, the casino still does not have a building permit.
See also
- Lisa LeslieLisa LeslieLisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
- Sheryl SwoopesSheryl SwoopesSheryl Denise Swoopes is an American professional basketball player who, subsequent to being waived into free agency, signed to re-join the WNBA to play with the Tulsa Shock in 2011. She was the first player to be signed in the WNBA when it was created. She has won three Olympic Gold Medals and...
- Rebecca LoboRebecca LoboRebecca Rose Lobo-Rushin is an American television basketball analyst and a former player in the professional Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 to 2003...