On Saturday, Dawn Staley, the head coach of the University of South Carolina NCAA women’s basketball team, didn’t exactly cover herself in glory, with an answer she gave to a media question during a Final Four press conference.
During a Saturday press conference, Staley was asked whether transgender females, born as males, should be allowed to compete against biologically female athletes. Her response was predictable:
I’m of the opinion of, if you’re a woman, you should play. If you consider yourself a woman and you want to play sports or vice versa, you should be able to play. That’s my opinion. You want me to go deeper?
South Carolina’s Women’s Basketball Coach Will Welcome Biological Men
As RedState’s Jeff Charles shared in his piece, many people on social media chimed in with their thoughts on that.
Up to this point, though, Iowa’s star player Caitlin Clark has been the main person in the spotlight during the post-season tourney leading to the championship game–in either the women’s or the men’s brackets. Recent news, which my colleague Jerry Wilson shared in one of his sports reports, hints that the future looks bright for the senior student-athlete.
Read: RedState Sports Report: Caitlin Clark Shows Out After LSU Shows No Class
Then on Sunday afternoon, the South Carolina Gamecocks beat the Iowa Hawkeyes to take the national title. It came after a perfect 38-0 season, and left Iowa in a deficit starting around halftime in the matchup. Clark finished her final game as a Hawkeye with 30 points, making 10 out of 28 shots.
Dawn Staley and South Carolina have done it again.
For the first time since 2016, the NCAA has an undefeated national champion in the Gamecocks. South Carolina capped its perfect season (38-0) with an 87-75 win over Iowa, avenging last year’s Final Four loss that ended an undefeated season.
In remarks after the game, Staley exhibited the utmost in humility and good sportsmanship, with what she said about both the Iowa team as a whole and star Caitlin Clark in particular.
Dawn Staley recognized Caitlin Clark for what she has done for the women's basketball game. pic.twitter.com/W9b7Yo3Cpv
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) April 7, 2024
She said:
I really just would like to say that I have to congratulate Iowa on an incredible season, also. And I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport. She carried a heavy load for our sport. It just is not going to stop here on a collegiate tour,
But when she is the number-one pick on the WNBA draft, she’s going to lift that league up as well.
So, Caitlin Clark, if you’re out there, you are one of the GOATs of our game, and we appreciate you.
In return, Clark gave full credit to South Carolina’s dominance, in her team’s post-game press conference. After sharing how proud she is of her teammates (and herself), Clark was effusive with praise about the Gamecocks (watch starting at ~ :31):
"Yeah, I'm sad we lost this game. But I'm also so proud of myself. I'm so proud of my teammates. I'm so proud of this program."
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) April 7, 2024
Caitlin Clark reflects on @IowaWBB's second straight NCAA title game run.#WFinalFour pic.twitter.com/EtbSEXz0FH
While it’s disappointing that the SC coach holds the views she does about men in women’s sports, it’s important to talk about it when someone does the right thing. I also think it’s worth mentioning that Staley hasn’t just only coached on the college level. She also represented our nation, while coaching the U.S. women’s basketball team to its seventh-consecutive win in the Tokyo Olympics.
Related: WATCH: March Madness Women’s Basketball Coach Blasts WaPo’s Sleazy Tactics: ‘Are You Kidding Me?’
