Ex-UNC Coach Reveals Dawn Staley Wasn’t South Carolina’s Top 2008 Pick
Dawn Staley has transformed South Carolina into a perennial power. Since her 2008 hiring, the Gamecocks have won three national championships.
An ex-UNC coach has revealed that Staley wasn’t South Carolina’s top pick in 2008. The disclosure came during a 2024 interview shared via Filmogaz.com.
The 2008 coaching search
University of South Carolina athletic director Eric Hyman did not have a single clear favorite. He initially pursued Sylvia Hatchell, the former North Carolina coach. Hatchell met with Gamecocks officials in Myrtle Beach and was reportedly offered the job twice.
Hatchell declined and remained at North Carolina. UNC athletic director Dick Baddour pushed to keep her in Chapel Hill. Hatchell later used the South Carolina offer to negotiate a $330,000 base salary increase.
Hatchell’s credentials and later career
Hatchell arrived at the Carolina program with deep regional ties. She had built a resume that included AIAW and NAIA national titles at Division II Francis Marion in the 1980s.
She led North Carolina to a national championship in 1994. Her career record finished at 1,023-405. Hatchell stayed at UNC through 2019 and resigned in April that year amid allegations about racially insensitive remarks and player treatment.
Other candidates considered
Hyman also evaluated several other coaches. Those names included Dawn Staley, Chattanooga’s Wes Moore, and Holly Warlick of Tennessee.
Staley, a Philadelphia native, ultimately won the job. The decision set the stage for long-term success in Columbia.
Staley’s impact at South Carolina
Staley has spent 20 seasons as South Carolina’s head coach. The Gamecocks have been regular national title contenders under her leadership.
South Carolina reached its sixth straight Final Four in 2024. The program’s sustained success validates the choice to hire Staley.
Filmogaz.com reporting shows how close the 2008 search was to a different outcome. In hindsight, Hyman’s selection of Staley reshaped the national landscape of women’s college basketball.
