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Staley's first recruit on campus
CommentsSouth Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley has landed Miranda Tate a second time — this time bringing her to Columbia as Staley’s first recruit at USC.
Tate, a 6-foot guard from Bolingbrook, Ill., enrolled at USC last week after following Staley from Temple. Tate signed with Temple last November during the early signing period, but the Owls agreed to release her from her letter of intent.
She chose Temple over Texas A&M, Illinois, Xavier and South Florida. But after Staley was hired by USC in May, Tate decided to switch schools.
Bolingbrook High coach Anthony Smith said Staley’s vast Olympic and WNBA experience made a big impact on Tate.
“That’s the coach she had wanted to play for. She was looking to play for a coach that was established and did all the things (Staley) did,” Smith said. “She’s the type of kid that has those dreams, too. I thought for sure she would try to follow coach Staley.”
Staley, who won three Olympic gold medals as a player, served as an assistant coach for the U.S. team that took home the gold Saturday in Beijing.
Attempts to reach Tate were unsuccessful.
Tate, whose family moved from Texas to the Chicago area her sophomore year, helped Bolingbrook High win a state championship as the first player off the bench in 2006. She started her final two years and was Bolingbrook’s leading scorer before leaving the team in December of her senior year for personal reasons.
Smith said Tate left on good terms.
Tate made 63 percent of her shots as a junior and was a third-team all-state selection in Illinois. Smith called her a shooting guard who also can create off the dribble.
“She’s a 6-foot wing that can do it all. She can dribble the ball, handle the ball, shoot the ball very well,” Smith said.
“I think she’s going to do well there. I know she always wanted to play for coach Staley. I think her dreams came true.”
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