Columbia’s Main Street fills up for parade to celebrate national champion Gamecocks
South Carolina freshman Bree Hall walked up to the microphone before thousands of devout Gamecock fans. She and the national champion women’s basketball team had just cruised down Columbia’s Main Street, snapping photos and waving to a raucous crowd gathered for a parade.
Hall led the Gamecocks in a jubilant rendition of Alicia Keys’ “Girl on Fire” before the Wednesday evening celebration continued on the steps of the S.C. State House.
The moment represented South Carolina’s dominant 2021-22 national championship season well — the Gamecocks were on fire all year.
The parade to celebrate head coach Dawn Staley and the USC women’s basketball program featured more than 60 cars, trucks and floats, and included current and former players, local businesses and university and community leaders.
Festivities at the State House included speeches from Staley, Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, Congressman Jim Clyburn, USC President Harris Pastides and athletics director Ray Tanner.
“Not only did you win the national title, you won the hearts of the entire country,” Clyburn said.
Rickenmann presented Staley with a key to the city and said he would proclaim all of April “national championship month.” Tanner, in his remarks, called the USC women’s coach the “greatest of all time.”
All Gamecocks were on hand for the parade with the exception of star point guard Destanni Henderson, leading scorer from the Gamecocks’ championship game win over UConn. Henderson, unable to make the parade due to commitments with the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, received a loud cheer during the team introduction.
Staley presented special gifts from the Gamecocks’ devoted “FAMs” to veteran starters Victaria Saxton and Brea Beal, celebrating their accomplishments as players who “often don’t get recognized.” Consensus national player of the year Aliyah Boston briefly took the microphone to thank the crowd.
Thousands of fans gathered for the festivities.
Nancy Aiken-DeLano and son Dominic were there early Wednesday, with a spot secured near the State House steps. Nancy graduated from USC in 2000 and is a dedicated Gamecock fan. She and Dominic drove up from Bluffton for the parade.
Nancy missed the 2017 parade, so she was extra excited to get another chance to celebrate her team.
She agreed that Gamecock fans are unique.
“My kids are born Gamecocks,” she said. “I think it is a family affair.”
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USC held the No. 1 spot in this year’s AP Top 25 for the entirety of the season and defeated seven top-10 teams. South Carolina won its second national championship in program history, defeating Geno Auriemma’s UConn Huskies 64-49 to claim victory on April 3 in Minneapolis.
The Gamecocks (35-2) made plenty of history in 2021-22. Their 35 wins were the most in program history, and Staley’s Gamecocks were the first to beat national championship coaches Auriemma, LSU’s Kim Mulkey and Stanford’s Tara Vanderveer in one season.
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A special birthday and a parade
Charleen Blasingame had been standing on Main Street since 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, She and her family grabbed a spot right on the corner of Main and Gervais streets to take in the whole day.
It’s a special day for Blasingame, who was celebrating her 60th birthday as well as the Gamecocks’ victory.
“This is the way to celebrate,” she said.
She graduated from USC in 1983. She met her future husband while in college, and their family members are big supporters of the team.
“They make it look so easy, the way they gel and get along,” she said of the team. “You don’t see any selfishness.”
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A group of teachers and devout Gamecock fans
The Gamecocks are the lifeblood of a group of former H.B. Rhames Elementary School teachers, who attend every game and other Gamecock events as they can.
They’re multi-generational, representing years of devotion to the USC women’s basketball team.
“We used to go to the games when you got in for free,” Laverne Lorick said.
Lorick held a small stuffed cow named Moo, which wore pearls left for fans by A’ja Wilson at her last USC game.
The stuffed Moo has been to Nashville, Greenville, even in coach Staley’s hands for a brief photo op, Lorick said — an example of why they adore Staley so much.
“She’s approachable,” Lorick said. “You want to give back (to the team).” They give back with their devout support.
Linda Wilson, part of the crew of former educators, said Staley has helped set USC’s fan base apart from other teams.
“Her positivity, her enthusiasm,” Wilson said. “She’s recruited all of us.”
Lisa Ulmer, also a part of the teachers group, said Staley has built excitement around the team in a way unlike other programs in the country.
“She’s the only one who has created excitement about women’s basketball,” Ulmer said.
Ulmer was at the parade with her granddaughter, a fifth-generation USC fan.
Staley opened her remarks on the S.C. State House steps declaring that the Gamecocks’ victory “was won before it was played,” generating a passionate response from the audience.
South Carolina fans gave Staley roaring applause as she ended her speech with a strong declaration for the season to come.
“Let’s run it back!” she said.
This story was originally published April 13, 2022 at 5:32 PM.
