Temple University Athletics
STALEY SELECTED AS ASSISTANT COACH FOR 2006 U.S.A. BASKETBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
2.16.06 | Women's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA -
"Dawn is a winner and the ultimate competitor," said Donovan. "She has been successful at the highest level as a player for our country. Dawn is a three-time gold medal Olympian, who is respected as no other and a definite leader for our program. She has translated her oncourt success into being one of the brightest coaches in our game today. Dawn defines everything 'golden' about USA Basketball and I am so glad that she will be on the sidelines with me."
"I was excited to be asked to be a part of USA Basketball again but on a different level," said Staley. "I expect that this level will be the most challenging for me, being on the other side of the whistle. I'm going to approach this challenge the same way that I did as a player, helping Anne in any way that I can and doing whatever it takes to come away with nothing less than the gold.
"I think it will be a great experience. I have the highest regard for Anne as a coach and as a person, so it will be much easier to work with her than with a person that I just met. Anne and I have a long and storied history together and I expect that we will use this experience to put another notch on our belts."
Staley, who steps into her inaugural coaching role with USA Basketball is certainly no stranger to the international game. A three-time Olympic and two-time World Championship gold medalist, Staley was a fixture on USA Basketball teams nearly every year from 1989-2004 and in addition to her Olympic and World Championship gold medals has finished atop the podium at the 2002 Opals World Challenge, 1999 U.S. Olympic Cup, 1994 Goodwill Games, 1993 World Championship Qualifying Tournament, 1992 R. William Jones Cup and 1991 World University Games, and finished with the bronze at the 1994 World Championship. All told, USA teams with Staley on the roster have posted an amazing 19710 record (.952 winning percentage).
A two-time USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year (1994, 2004), Staley was voted by all U.S. team captains in 2004 to carry the United States' flag and lead the USA's delegation into the Athens Olympics Opening Ceremonies. Additionally, Staley was named the MVP at the '94 Goodwill Games and currently serves on the USA Basketball Executive Committee as an athlete representative.
The head coach at Temple since the 2000-01 season, Staley has proven herself among the top young collegiate coaches in the country, leading the Owls to three NCAA Tournaments in five seasons. Prior to her arrival Temple had never won the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament, but has done so three times under Staley's tutelage. Staley, also became the fastest coach in school history to reach 100 victories near the end of her fifth season, and earned the 2004 and 2005 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, and 2002 and 2005 Philadelphia Big 5 Coach of the Year honors.
Staley's Owls have been ranked in the top 25 during the entire 2005-06 season and currently (as of 2/15/06) rank No. 23 in the Associated Press writers poll and No. 22 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll with an 18-6 slate. On Jan. 19 she made history again when Temple edged No. 9 Rutgers University (N.J.) 48-47 for the program's first victory over a top-10 school.
"USA Basketball was a huge part of my life for 15 years and I guess I'm trying to prolong the void that retiring from playing and coaching will give me. This (USA Basketball) is what I do. I'm attracted to things that challenge me and USA Basketball has done that to me for years. I'm excited to be given the opportunity to be challenged on the other end.Temple University head women's basketball coach, WNBA star and three-time Olympic gold medalist Dawn Staley has been selected as an assistant coach for the 2006 USA Women's World Championship Team, as announced today by USA Basketball. The staff, headed by four-time Olympic team member and Seattle Storm head coach Anne Donavan, will feature Duke head coach Gail Goestenkors and Mike Thibault, head coach of the WNBA's Connecticut Sun. The U.S. squad will look to defend its World Championship title at the 15th FIBA World Championship, scheduled to be played September 12-23 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
