University of South Carolina Women’s Basketball Coach Dawn Staley

By Staff Report

 

CHARLESTON, SC. – University of South Carolina completes the 2025-26 NCAA season as the national title runner-up the second-best team in the US. This is their second year of achieving the number two position. But sadness has not defined the team’s performance for the 25-26 basketball season. The season was a powerful success and Coach Dawn Stanly remains on the right track.

The Easter Sunday showdown between the two best teams in the nation, South Carolina Gamecocks and the UCLA Bruins proved difficult for early diners.

As the battle unfolded, Gamecocks’ fans likely suffered indigestion while every minute of the game solidified the ultimate loss to the Bruins. The Gamecocks fell behind in the first minutes and remained behind throughout. Ultimately, UCLA clinched the top spot with a 79 -51 victory.

                                                          Dawn Staley at University of Virginia

Despite this, Carolina had a season to be proud of.  Carolina had a fifth consecutive Season SEC title. This is their sixth title in the last seven years.

Coach Dawn Staley shared, “We just didn’t have it today. We tried, but we just didn’t have it today. They were the better team today. Congratulations to them.” “Sometimes you’re part of women’s basketball history, and it’s not favorable to you. … If you’re going to lose to a team, you want to lose to a team that just really outworked you, out-executed you, made it very difficult for you to perform at a high level. It was a direct reflection of what they (UCLA) did to us.”  I enjoy every challenge that basketball creates. I enjoy facing them. I enjoy playing the hand that I’m dealt.”