Dawn Staley set for South Carolina start

Dawn Staley has never backed down before, and she's not about to start in her new job at South Carolina.

Staley's excelled at every level, rising from a Philadelphia prep star to a successful coach at Temple. In between, she was an all-American at Virginia, won three gold medals as the point guard for the U.S. Olympic team, and WNBA star.

Now, Staley's cashed in her comfortable position in her hometown to jump to the toughest conference in the women's game at a school that hasn't finished above .500 in the Southeastern Conference since 2002-03.

Staley's goals? "The same always," she says. "Our goal is to get to the NCAA tournament, and the best way to do that is win your conference."

It's a relentless attitude to succeed Staley expects to bring to her young, untested team, which starts play Sunday at Penn State.

"We want to be the best," Staley said. "We're playing from an underdog position, and we'll ride that out until we relinquish that particular role. But our kids are going to get the mindset of winning the Southeastern Conference."

That won't be simple.

Nine of Staley's 13 players are sophomores or freshmen. Of the three seniors, only 6-foot-4 forward Demetress Adams has more than a season of starting experience in the rugged SEC.

Staley says her group has accepted every challenge she's thrown their way, and hopes for the same dogged response to the season.

"They're hungry," Staley said. "I think we have some pieces that are there. We just have to, as coaches, instruct them in a way that will bring on the best in them and then together as a team."

Staley's done that as well anybody as a player and coach.

She twice won Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year at Virginia, and was named the NCAA tournament's most outstanding player her junior year (1991).

She was named to the WNBA's all-decade team and made five appearances in the league's all-star game.

As a coach, Staley also revived Temple, posting six seasons of 20-or-more wins and six NCAA trips in eight years.

She helped fuel three Olympic championship runs as a star point guard in 1996, 2000 and 2004. Staley was back in the games this summer as an assistant coach for another U.S. gold medal.

"In coach Staley, you've got an Olympian, playing in the league, she just brings a whole different level, I think," Gamecocks forward C.J. Pace said. "So it's just a different ballgame, it's a lot more intense."

Staley says she came to South Carolina, besides a hefty contract that pays her at least $650,000 a year, because it was where the best faced the best each SEC season.

South Carolina's schedule certainly proves that: The Gamecocks will face all Final Four teams from a year ago in Connecticut, LSU, Stanford and Tennessee.

"I'm excited," Staley says. "I'm really excited."

So are her players.

Guard Courtney Newton says Staley and her assistants, which include the coach's former Olympic teammates Carla McGhee and Nikki McCray, have increased the intensity at practices.

"We're going to be pressuring people, you can be sure," Newton said.

Throughout the offseason, the initial surprise of Staley's hiring turned to excitement and anticipation, her players said. In August, the group filled up a Cockaboose outside South Carolina's football stadium to watch Staley and the Americans win the gold medal.

Staley brought her players back T-shirts from China. They hope she gives them much more the next few seasons.

"Watching her on that level made us real excited because of the things she's going to bring back to this campus." Newton said.

Staley says much of the fun has been her players giving over their attention and commitment to improve.

"It's kind of breath of fresh air, they're like babies in basketball. You're able to teach them how to crawl, and then walk," Staley said. "And it's a beautiful thing."