ATLANTA (March 24, 2020) — University of South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has been named the 2020 United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year, the Women's Basketball 
Coaches Association announced today.
Staley will be presented with the Pat Summitt Trophy, named for the late legendary University of Tennessee coach and awarded annually to the United States Marine Corps/WBCA National Coach of the Year in each of the WBCA’s six membership divisions.
“The WBCA is proud to announce Dawn Staley as the 2020 recipient of the Pat Summitt Trophy presented to the United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle M. Donehew. “We also congratulate the other coaches who were selected by their peers as finalists for this prestigious award.
“Dawn is a championship coach and a hall of fame player. She is a skilled and passionate teacher of the game who is devoted to her student-athletes. She has masterfully built both a powerful program and fanbase at South Carolina. She has served her peers as a member of the WBCA Board of Directors and NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee. Dawn was chosen by her peers for this award after leading her team to another exceptional season. She is very deserving of the WBCA’s highest honor in the coaching profession.”
Staley coached South Carolina to a 32-1 record and a No. 1 finish in the USA Today Sports/WBCA NCAA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll. In her 12 years with the Gamecocks, she has guided the team to five SEC tournament titles, eight NCAA Tournament appearances and one national title. Staley is also a member of both the Naismith Memorial Basketball and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fames. She also serves as the head coach for the U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team.
“The United States Marine Corps proudly recognizes Dawn Staley for her leadership with the Gamecocks and her commitment to women’s basketball,” said Lieutenant Colonel Christian Devine, national director, marketing and communications, Marine Corps Recruiting Command. “The hard work and dedication needed to achieve this recognition from her peers embodies the fighting spirit of all Marines.”
The United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year is selected by a committee of coaches. This year’s finalists were:
|
NAME |
SCHOOL |
|
Geno Auriemma |
University of Connecticut |
|
Adia Barnes |
University of Arizona |
|
Joanna Bernabei-McNamee |
Boston College |
|
Brenda Frese |
University of Maryland |
|
Kelly Graves |
University of Oregon |
|
Nikki McCray |
Old Dominion University |
|
Joe McKeown |
Northwestern University |
|
Kim Mulkey |
Baylor University |
|
Dawn Staley |
University of South Carolina |
|
Jeff Walz |
University of Louisville |
Visit www.wbca.org/recognize/ to see a list of past recipients.
About the WBCA
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to the organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit www.WBCA.org for more details about the Association.
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