South Carolina's Dawn Staley defends canceling BYU series over unfounded racial slur allegation
Dawn Staley said as long as Duke stood by their player, she will stand by her decision
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley took a stand when a BYU fan was accused of hurling a racial slur against a Duke women’s volleyball player late last month.
The Gamecocks canceled a two-game series against the BYU women’s team in retaliation for the alleged slur. However, BYU found no evidence the volleyball player was subjected to racial slurs.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates after defeating the UConn Huskies during the championship game of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament on April 3, 2022, in Minneapolis. (C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Staley on Wednesday defended the decision to remove the games from this and next year’s schedule. She told reporters since Duke stood by Rachel Robinson, she was going to stand by her decision.
"I exchanged information with BYU and Duke, and I still came to the same conclusion," she said via the Greenville News. "We're just going to have to agree to disagree in this instance. Did [Richardson]) come out and say that she apologized for hearing something wrong? ... That's her story, and that's what she's sticking with. Until she comes out and says that — and I'll be the first to apologize and say I'm wrong — but that has yet to come out, so that's what I'm sticking with."
DAWN STALEY SUPPORTS SOUTH CAROLINA HEAD COACH SHANE BEAMER AFTER APOLOGY FOR TITLE IX INCIDENT
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks receives the WBCA coaches trophy after defeating the UConn Huskies during the championship game of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament on April 3, 2022, in Minneapolis. (Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
BYU completed its investigation into the slur claim and released its findings on Sept. 9.
Staley released a statement, too.
"I continue to stand by my position. After my personal research, I made a decision for the well-being of my team. I regret that my university, my athletics director Ray Tanner and others got drawn into the criticism of a choice that I made," she said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dawn Staley, University of South Carolina women's basketball head coach, waits on the grid prior to pace car practice before the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, Sept. 4, 2022, in Darlington, South Carolina. (Logan Riely/Getty Images)
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South Carolina will enter the 2022-2023 season as the defending national champions.