South Carolina Coach Dawn Staley rocks a collection of vibrant necklaces every time she's patrolling the Gamecocks bench.
What's the reason behind her wearing the necklaces? ESPN journalist Holly Rowe documented the tale as South Carolina managed to narrowly defeat Texas with a score of 74-57. To progress back to the NCAA Championship game, this time to compete against UConn In a redo of the 2022 match.
"She owns several uniquely distinct necklaces that she adorns herself with, and people frequently inquire about their purpose," Rowe started. She then continued, saying, "There was an opportunity for her to encounter a young girl named Blakeleigh, who at age seven, is battling leukemia." As she spoke, the ESPN camera shifted focus to capture Blakeleigh Thompson within the audience.
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In 2023, [Staley] encountered her, but tonight, Blakeleigh has the opportunity to witness Coach Staley coaching for the first time. Prior to the game, she presented Dawn with a new necklace; look closely at the small one just above where Dawn is wearing it… It’s quite a touching gesture. According to Dawn, this necklace serves as a reminder of how fortunate she feels to be guiding a basketball team.
Maybe Thompson was the lucky talisman that evening. Staley’s squad never faced much danger throughout the game, with a well-rounded offensive effort spearheaded by Joyce Edwards’ double-double proving sufficient for securing the win on Friday.
Staley recorded her perspective earlier during the competition "The most significant part of my story involves two necklaces I wear daily; they come from a young woman named Blakeleigh who is currently undergoing cancer treatment," she explained.
What I'm saying is, it offers me a sense of how things stand: Yes, we’re getting ready for another round of games—South Carolina handled theirs easily. Meanwhile, she might be gearing up for additional surgeries or her next several treatments. It really puts some things into perspective. Additionally, there’s this young guy I encountered at the children's hospital; he battles with sickle cell disease.
So, my cousin died due to sickle cell disease, which provides me with a different viewpoint regarding what we're involved in, where we stand, and honestly, even though we feel like everything revolves around us and our interests—what we care about—it truly boils down to just playing basketball. Considering the challenges others face makes this clearer.
On Sunday, Staley aims for her fourth lifetime NCAA title in a fiercely competitive game against a surging University of Connecticut squad. With four Naismith Coaching Awards under her belt, Staley faces the challenge of going up against legendary UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who boasts eight such accolades.