Gamecock women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Coach Staley joins just three others from the University of South Carolina who are currently members of the academy: William Hubbard, dean of the Joseph F. Rice School of Law; Susan Cutter, professor of geography; and Nikky Finney, poet and professor of English language and literature. Staley is one of 252 leaders in academia, the arts, industry, journalism, philanthropy, policy, research and science elected in 2026. Very few sports figures have ever been elected.
“Election to the Academy is a rare honor, and the university applauds Coach Staley for earning this distinction,” said President Michael Amiridis. “As an innovative coach, educator, mentor, philanthropist and role model, Coach Staley continues to elevate our students, our university and our community.”
Founded in 1780, the academy is both an honorary society that recognizes and celebrates the excellence of its members and an independent research center convening leaders from across disciplines to address significant challenges. Historically, members of the academy have included Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr. and Madeleine Albright.
Coach Staley came to the University of South Carolina in 2008 and has since led the women’s basketball team to three national championships. She has coached the Gamecocks in eight Final Four appearances, including six consecutive Final Four matchups between 2021 and 2026. South Carolina is only the second team in NCAA history to reach six Final Fours in a row. She has also coached the U.S. Olympics team three times, including as head coach in 2020, and has won a gold medal each time.
“There are so many opportunities that basketball has given me that I could have never imagined when I picked up a ball as a young girl in North Philly,” Coach Staley said. “Being elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is definitely one of those, and I am overwhelmed by the honor of joining this group of brilliant minds from every walk of life. Every day I strive to give back to the game of basketball everything that it has provided me and to be a dream merchant and an example for young people — those who I get to work with daily and those who only know me from afar. Recognition for that is not something I think about, but I know that my inclusion in this group is another example of the uncommon favor bestowed on me. I am beyond thankful to those who chose to bring me into this circle.”
Beyond her work on the court, Staley is a strong advocate for equity in women’s sports and of developing student-athletes for off-court success. Last year, she published a New York Times bestselling memoir, Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and the Life Lessons I Learned from All Three. Through the Dawn Staley Foundation, she supports after-school programs for at-risk youths.
“It is most fitting that Dawn Staley would be elected to membership in one of America’s most prestigious organizations, founded in 1780 by John Adams, John Hancock and others, which honors excellence in leaders who advance the ‘interest, honor, dignity, and happiness of a free, independent, and virtuous people,’” said Dean William Hubbard. “Her groundbreaking leadership has brought women’s basketball to unprecedented levels, and her mentorship of hundreds of women and men leaves a legacy for generations to come.”