Women's Fastbreak On SI

Dawn Staley Shares South Carolina's Ring Ceremony Love With Gamecocks Football Team

South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley made sure her school's football team felt the love during her team's ring ceremony on Monday.

Grant Young

Nov 24, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley during the third quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Nov 24, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley during the third quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team produced an undefeated 2023-24 NCAA season, which culminated in them defeating Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2024 NCAA National Championship game.

This marked the third NCAA Championship for Dawn Staley, who also won titles in 2017 and 2022. And despite her team's stunning defeat to the UCLA Bruins two weekends ago, the Gamecocks are still considered among the favorites to win the 2025 NCAA Championship.

But Monday wasn't about looking into the future. It was about celebrating the Gamecocks' past success of their perfect 2023-24 campaign, as the team was given their championship rings.

The South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball X account posted photos of the two rings the team won (one for the NCAA Championship and one for making it to the Final Four) with the caption, "Ring Us!"

During the ring ceremony, Staley shouted out the Gamecocks football team by saying, "We really want to congratulate Coach Beamer, his staff, and the fellas for taking us on an incredible ride that is not over yet.

"We gotta put some Gamecock love, some uncommon favor up on the college playoffs for our football team. Yes, we do," Staley continued.

The Gamecocks football team is currently 9-3, ranked No. 15 in the nation, and knocking on the door of a trip to the College Football Playoff.

Staley's words prompted a response on X from the aforementioned Coach Beamer (who is the Gamecocks football team's head coach), who wrote, "THANK YOU @dawnstaley !!!!

"I’m grateful for your friendship

"And we’re working hard so @GamecockFB can have our own ring ceremony like you’re having tonight 🤙🏻".

It's cool to see these two programs feeding off each other's respective success.

Published |Modified
Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

Home/News