"I didn't know why I did that": When South Carolina HC Dawn Staley opened up about her choice of major in high school

Modified Nov 30, 2024 12:26 GMT

South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley has revealed that things could have been different for her if she had taken the path of her major in high school.

Staley, who attended Dobbins Tech for her high school education, revealed in a 2022 interview that she chose Computer Science as her major in high school. Speaking to "We Need To Talk," the former Temple Owls coach said she did not know why she picked computer science but she’s proud of her choice:

“You have to pick out a trade, So I picked Computer Science and I don’t know why I did that. Because you know, probably I would much rather have been like, a mechanic, because my dad was a mechanic and I love just helping out, get their cars, going in and all that. But I chose Computer Science and enjoyed that." (00:01:07)

Staley, however, did not choose Computer Science as a career. Instead, she decided to play basketball, where she has gone on to make a name for herself.

Dawn Staley’s basketball decision worked out for the best

Dawn Staley might not have gone the Computer Science route, but the basketball path she chose has worked out perfectly for her. The Philadelphia native represented the Dobbins Tech women’s basketball team (Lady Mustangs) during her time at the school.

It was there that Staley showed that she had what it takes to make a name for herself in the game of basketball. She averaged 33.1 points per game in her three-year high school career with the Lady Mustangs, with the team losing just once in that time frame.

Dawn Staley helped the Mustangs to three Philadelphia public high school city championships, winning the USA Today's national high school player of the year in 1988.

The former USA Women’s basketball player would then go on to play for the University of Virginia, leading the team to Atlantic Coast Conference titles and three appearances in the semifinal round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship tournament, including one final appearance in 1991, where she was named Most Outstanding Player.

Dawn Staley went on to play professionally in the WNBA before winning three Olympic Gold Medals with the USA Women’s basketball team as a player.

While she was still in the WNBA, Staley transitioned into coaching, taking over as the head coach of the women’s basketball team of Temple University, the Temple Owls, in 2000.

She then coached the US Women’s Basketball, leading them to a gold medal in the 2020 Summer Olympics. Staley is currently the coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks, a role she has been in since 2008 and has won three national championships.