"Thank you, POTUS": South Carolina HC Dawn Staley comments on Joe Biden bowing out of presidential race
South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley took a break from her pre-recruitment stints at the Peach Jam and Nike Nationals to thank U.S. President Joe Biden for his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee of the Democratic Party.
Biden opted out of the 2024 election on Sunday and pegged Harris as his favorite to represent the party in the coming ballot. Nearly four hours after Biden's X update, Staley displayed gratitude for the POTUS' contribution to the nation and praised the endorsement of Harris.
"Thank you, @POTUS @JoeBiden! Job well done! Your historical endorsement of @VP @KamalaHarris is saluted!" Staley tweeted.
One of the reasons behind Dawn Staley's continued influence is her off-court acts to support and create opportunities for women. She is one of the biggest names supporting former First Lady Michelle Obama to run for the Oval Office.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos release in February, Michelle Obama was the only Democrat representative to beat Donald Trump in a hypothetical matchup.
So, when Staley met Barack Obama on July 11 during USA Basketball's Golden Anniversary in Las Vegas, she posted a few glimpses with the president while humorously requesting him to borrow her wife for four years and citing that a First Gentleman title would fit well on him.
Even though Michelle Obama will not pursue the presidency, Dawn Staley's comment highlights her ongoing actions to amplify opportunities for women.
Joe Biden acknowledged Dawn Staley's culture at South Carolina after her 2024 NCAA win
Dawn Staley's South Carolina Gamecocks made history by winning the 2024 NCAA championship behind a flawless season. South Carolina did not have an offensive star like USC (JuJu Watkins), UConn (Paige Bueckers) or the runner-up Iowa Hawkeyes (Caitlin Clark).
This made Dawn Staley's ability to forge a winning culture throughout the program the biggest factor in their unbeatable record. Joe Biden, impressed by the team's run, values and habits, sent him appreciation and congratulation through an X post.
"Congratulations to @GamecockWBB on closing out a perfect season with a NCAA Women's Basketball Championship win – your teamwork, focus, and tenacity was on full display all year. You've made your school and community proud," the post read.
Staley is not the only coach to mount an undefeated season. Geno Auriemma did so with UConn in 2015-16. She also became one of the five coaches to win three titles in NCAA history.