Who is Dawn Staley? More on the NCAA coach with Philly ties

Women's basketball phenom and Philadelphia native Dawn Staley was one focal point women's college basketball this weekend, making it all the way to the championship game with the South Carolina Gamecocks before falling short to UCLA.

Along the way, the focus on the game shifted to its coaches, drawing even more national attention to the league during a Final Four matchup that culminated in a verbal altercation between UConn head coach Geno Auriemma and Staley.

Whether you've followed her since her 2008 start with South Carolina or are new to the Staley wave, here's a brief introduction to the women's coach.

Who is Dawn Staley?

Staley has been the head women's basketball coach at South Carolina since her hiring in 2008.

Before that, she spent almost eight years heading the women's basketball program at Temple University, leading the Philadelphia team to five NCAA appearances, a first-ever place on the Top 25 National Ranking and the team's first-ever A-10 Tournament titles.

Is Dawn Staley from Philly?

Staley's seasons at Temple were not the only tie the coach has to the Philly region.

As a senior at Dobbins Tech, Staley was named USA TODAY's 1988 National High School Player of the year.

How old is Dawn Staley?

Born May 4, 1970, Staley is 55 years old.

Where did Dawn Staley play basketball?

Staley played college ball for the University of Virginia, leading the school to four NCAA tournament appearances, three Final Fours and one National Championship faceoff, according to NCAA.com.

Where did Dawn Staley play in the WNBA?

Staley spent eight seasons in the WNBA after her Round 1 Pick 9 draft in 1999.

The 5'6'' guard played for the Charlotte Sting and Houston Comets.

Before that, she played professionally for the Richmond Rage in the American Basketball League's inaugural season, according to biography information on the coach.

Is Dawn Staley an Olympian?

Yes, Dawn Staley is a three-time gold medal Olympian, playing women's basketball in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics, according to Olympedia.

Staley also coached the U.S. women's team to gold in 2020.

How many titles did Dawn Staley win as a coach?

Staley has an extensive coaching resume, with numerous accolades and championship titles, including three national championships with South Carolina (2017, 2022, 2024) and four A-10 tournament titles at Temple (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006), as reported by her college coaching bios.

Staley has been recognized as Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year (2004, 2005), Regional Coach of the Year (2005), National Coach of the Year (2014, 2020, 2022, 2024).

She was also the first former Naismith Player of the Year to earn the title of Naismith Coach of the Year, a title she's won four times with South Carolina (2020, 2022, 2023, 2024).

Kaitlyn McCormick is a Philadelphia-based reporter writing all things trending, breaking and city-related for USA TODAY's Philadelphia Metro Connect Team.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Dawn Staley? Dawn Staley age, coaching career and more