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Staley buzz means more victories, and more filled seats
USC hopes the Staley buzz leads to more victories — and more filled seats at the Colonial Life Arena
USC's women's head basketball coach Dawn Staley.
RON CORTES /KRT
Written by JOSEPH PERSON
jperson@thestate.com
Posted on 11.19.08
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Staley's home debut
Dawn Staley makes her home coaching debut Wednesday at 7 p.m. vs. Clemson.When South Carolina athletics director Eric Hyman hired Dawn Staley last spring, the hope was that Staley, an icon in women’s basketball, would breathe life into a moribund program and put people in the seats at Colonial Life Arena.
In a region where college football’s regular season flows seamlessly into football recruiting season and, finally, into football spring practice, the latter figures to be the more challenging of the two tasks.
But as Staley prepares for her first home game tonight against Clemson, the former WNBA and Olympic star is confident Columbia can be a women’s basketball town.
“There’s a huge buzz,” Staley said Tuesday following the Gamecocks’ practice. “I think people are really excited that I’m here, and I’m excited to be here, as well.”
USC has tried to generate excitement by marketing Staley, putting her on several billboards around the city, as well as the cover of the Gamecocks’ media guide.
The 38-year-old Staley, who came to USC following a successful, eight-year stint at Temple that included six NCAA tournament appearances, also has “done a whole slew” of speaking engagements to boost interest.
“They’ll come out,” she said. “I think by the buzz, people want to come out and support us, especially when we start winning.”
Fan interest in the women’s program has waned in recent years as the losses mounted under former coach Susan Walvius, who failed to make the NCAA tournament her final five seasons.
But Hyman believes Staley will develop a fan following in time.
“I think any sport in Columbia, South Carolina, because they’re so attached to the Gamecocks, I think you put a good product out there, people will come out and support you,” Hyman said. “With women’s basketball and our men’s basketball, we don’t have that recent, long record of a high level of success, so what we’re going to have to do is connect with people. Come out and watch the efforts.”
While the women’s program likely never will become a revenue-making sport at USC, Staley sees more potential for growth in a college community than a city like her hometown of Philadelphia.
“I think in this geographical region, if you win, people will come to the game,” she said. “At Temple there’s just too many competing sports. You’ve got the Sixers. You’ve got the Eagles. You’ve got too many sports. You’ve got six Division I schools right in the city.”
The Gamecocks’ biggest rival is more than two hours away in the northwest corner of the state, though it’s fitting Clemson will be in the building for Staley’s first home game. The USC women christened the arena, then known as the Carolina Center, with a 72-58 win against Clemson on Nov. 22, 2002.
But Staley is most concerned about her team following the Gamecocks’ season-opening, 56-42 loss at Penn State on Sunday.
“I know there’s a big rivalry (with Clemson), but we’ve got a rivalry with losing,” Staley said. “So for us, we just want to get a win at this point because we didn’t open the season well.”
The Gamecocks, whose 12-player roster includes nine underclassmen, shot 25.5 percent (14 of 55) in the loss to the Nittany Lions. And though it will not always be pretty, Staley said her young team will play with effort.
Columbia native Brionna Dickerson, one of three seniors, has noticed an air of anticipation on campus with the arrival of Staley, who won a gold medal as an assistant coach with Team USA at the Beijing Games after winning three as a player.
“I have teachers who are now saying they’re excited about bringing their kids to the game. I have other kids in my class who are just excited about having a new coach, especially with it being Dawn Staley,” Dickerson said. “A lot of people are talking to me about the games that have never mentioned it before.”
But Dickerson, who played at Heathwood Hall, said the Staley buzz will last only so long.
“I think when hiring a big-name coach, you hope that just her name will bring people here,” she said. “We hope that our play will keep them coming.”
Reach Person at (803) 771-8496.
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