Dawn Staley has established herself as the premier coach of the premier women’s college basketball program in America.
Last season, Staley led the Gamecocks to a 38-0 finish and a national championship. In the last eight years alone, discounting when the NCAA Tournament was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, Staley has guided her team to three national championships, two other Final Four appearances and another Elite Eight finish. With all of that on her resume in the women’s game, some have wondered how Staley might fare on the men’s side.
During a recent conversation with colleague Robbie Hummel, The Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman mentioned Staley as a possible candidate at her alma mater, Virginia.
Virginia will play the 2024-25 season under interim head coach Ron Sanchez following Tony Bennett’s surprising retirement. The Cavaliers will likely consider Sanchez for the permanent gig, but are also expected to hold a nationwide coaching search.
“I have a great name that I’m not sure it’s been mentioned. It was thrown at me by somebody just recently–I’m not going to say who–but it’s intriguing,” Goodman started off saying.
“Do you know who graduated from Virginia in 1992?” he then asked Hummel.
“Did he play basketball there?” Hummel responded, to which Goodman replied, “She did” and said Staley’s name.
“That would be definitely very interesting. She’s won at the highest level in her sport,” Hummel said.
“If there’s somebody that could do it, Rob, if there’s one person that could do it, it would be Dawn Staley,” Goodman said.
Hummel then made a valid point, wondering if Staley would want to leave the behemoth she has built in Columbia to take on the challenge of the Virginia men’s program.
Perhaps this is an unlikely possibility, but there have been crazier ideas than a women’s coach who is a proven winner being a candidate to coach the men at her alma mater.
It’s at least interesting to ponder.
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