Dawn Staley Names A’ja Wilson as Successor to Lead South Carolina Gamecocks Upon Retirement
South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley formally announced her plans to retire at the end of her career — and revealed that Gamecock legend A’ja Wilson will succeed her as head coach.
The news sent waves through the college basketball world, marking a full-circle moment for two icons of the sport.
“I’ve always believed in preparing the next generation — and when I thought about who could take this program higher, only one name came to mind,” Staley said, standing beside Wilson. “A’ja’s not just a player I coached — she’s a leader, a visionary, and a daughter of South Carolina.”
Wilson, who starred at South Carolina from 2014–2018 and later became a multi-time WNBA MVP and Olympic gold medalist, called the announcement “an honor of a lifetime.”
“I was shaped here. Coach Staley built something that changed lives — including mine,” Wilson said. “Now it’s my turn to continue that legacy, to empower young women, and to make this program even greater.”
The university confirmed Wilson has spent the last two seasons shadowing Staley and working with the coaching staff as part of a long-term transition plan.
Staley, a Hall of Famer and three-time national champion, is widely credited with elevating South Carolina into a national powerhouse. She emphasized that her decision was about “building a bridge, not walking away.”
“This isn’t goodbye,” Staley said. “It’s passing the torch — to someone more than ready.”
