When Dawn Staley, coach of the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team, reprises her role leading the USA Basketball Women’s National Team at the Olympics this summer, the Gamecocks will have an ambassador for their institution shining on the world stage, at least for now…
Just last month the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers interviewed her as part of their search for a new head coach – a job that Staley herself said she “definitely” had to consider.
One factor that could potentially mean the difference between Staley staying in South Carolina versus exploring options elsewhere? Money.
Rep. Todd Rutherford (D-Columbia), the Democratic Minority leader in the state legislature and UofSC alum, penned an op-ed published this week in the Post and Courier arguing that Coach Staley deserves a pay raise.
“Despite her successes — conference titles, Final Four appearances, a national title, two first-place finishes in final season polls and the honor of coaching the USA Basketball Women’s National Team — Coach Staley is not paid commensurate with a coach of her stature,” writes Rutherford. “In fact, she is not even the highest-paid coach in the Southeastern Conference.”
If this all seems shocking to you, who could blame you? After all, this is the same institution that forked over $12.9 million in a buyout for former head football coach Will Muschamp. You would think that if the University of South Carolina is willing to spend that much on a losing football coach, it has enough funds to invest in a winning, elite basketball coach.
Because, it’s as Rutherford said: “If our state’s flagship university is not careful, [Staley] may go elsewhere.”
You can read Rep. Rutherford’s full piece here.