USC’s Dawn Staley to attend 2024 Olympics as part of US presidential delegation

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley raises the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship trophy at a celebration at the Colonial Life Arena on April 8, 2024, in Columbia, South Carolina. (File/Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

COLUMBIA — The White House named University of South Carolina women’s head basketball coach Dawn Staley to the presidential delegation for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

The three-time NCAA national championship head coach and former Olympian will attend the opening ceremony Friday alongside first lady Jill Biden, the White House announced Monday.

U.S. Senate latest to praise Lady Gamecocks for perfect season

Staley won gold medals as a player in 1996 in Atlanta, 2000 in Sydney and 2004 in Athens. Also in Athens, she was the opening ceremony flag bearer for Team USA — becoming the team’s first basketball athlete with that honor. And she was head coach of the basketball team that won gold at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, which were actually held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joining Staley in the opening ceremony delegation in Paris are Democratic Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware and Alex Padilla of California; Las Angeles Mayor Karen Bass; Denise Campbell Bauer, U.S. Ambassador to France; and three-time Olympian Brian Boitano, who won the gold medal in figure skating at the 1988 Calgary Games; and Casey Wasserman , chairman of the 2028 Los Angeles Games, according to the White House.

A separate delegation was announced to attend the Aug. 11 closing ceremony.

“Dawn Staley is a United States Olympic icon – four gold medals, three as a player and one as a head coach, for the USA women’s basketball team, the flag bearer for Team USA at the 2004 Olympic opening ceremonies, and now a member of the U.S. presidential delegation who will represent our country at the Paris opening ceremonies,” USC Athletic Director Ray Tanner said in a statement.

“The University of South Carolina is proud to have Coach Staley representing our institution.”

The announcement came a day after President Joe Biden announced he was no longer running for re-election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place as Democrats’ nominee.

Staley applauded his decision later Sunday.

“Thank you, @POTUS @JoeBiden ! Job well done! Your historical endorsement of @VP @KamalaHarris is saluted!” she posted on the social platform X.

Staley has led the Lady Gamecocks to three national basketball championships, most recently in April, when an 87-75 win over Iowa in the NCAA championship game capped a 38-0 perfect season.

But her championship teams have yet to go to the White House to celebrate.

After winning the first national title in 2017, Staley said the team would go if invited, telling The Associated Press , “It’s what national champions do.” But when the invitation from then-President Donald Trump finally came seven months later, she declined, saying the team was focused on the upcoming season.

After the Lady Gamecocks won in 2022, U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn announced the team would be invited to the White House. But a visit was never scheduled .

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