Recognizing, Honoring, and Congratulating Dawn Staley, coach of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks for winning the 2017 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship.

WHEREAS, Dawn Staley, a native of North Philadelphia having grown up in the Raymond Rosen projects near 23rd and Diamond and attending Murrell Dobbins Technical High School, was born on May 4, 1970, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Clarence and Estelle Staley; and

WHEREAS, As a high school senior, Coach Staley was named the USA Today’s National High School Player of the year in 1988, during her final season at Philadelphia’s Murrell Dobbins Technical High School, which eventually retired her jersey as the result of her outstanding basketball career; and

WHEREAS, Coach Staley decide to attend the University of Virginia (“UVA”) in Charlottesville, Virginia. There, she achieved a multitude of successes including being named Sports Illustrated Player of the Year (1991); Honda-Broderick Cup Award for Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year (1991) and three-time Kodak All-American (1990, 1991, 1992) leading UVA to three trips to the NCAA Final Four and one NCAA National Championship game appearance in 1991, after which she was named NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player; and

WHEREAS, Her list of accomplishments also include five Olympic Gold Medals, induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2013, and recently being picked by USA Basketball to coach the women’s national basketball team through 2020; and

WHEREAS, In 2000, Coach Staley was named head coach of Temple University’s women’s basketball program, where she credits the late Dave O’Brien, Athletic Director at Temple, for coaxing her into coaching. There she coached the Owls to six NCAA tournament appearances, winning four Atlantic 10 titles along the way. She became the fastest coach in women’s basketball history to win 100 games; and

WHEREAS, In 2008, Coach Staley began coaching at the University of South Carolina, making six NCAA tournament appearances, including three Sweet 16’s, and one Final Four; and

WHEREAS, On Sunday, April 2, 2017, Staley led the South Carolina Gamecocks to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Title, fulfilling a lifelong dream of winning a NCAA National Championship, defeating Mississippi State 67-55, capping off a spectacular season with a 33-4 record winning both the Southeastern Conference regular season and tournament championship; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby recognizes, honors, and congratulates Dawn Staley, coach of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks for winning the 2017 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Dawn Staley as evidence of the true and sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

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