Dawn Staley: Bio, Net worth, Height, Age, Stats, Salary and More

Born in Philadelphia in 1970, Dawn Michelle Staley has been playing basketball since she was a child. From her time as a guard at Dobbins Tech High School to her scholarship at the University of Virginia, Staley has been a leader both on and off the court. Staley played for the Charlotte Sting and Houston Comets in the WNBA and led Team USA to three straight Olympic gold medals.

She won many awards throughout her playing days and eight years as the Temple Owls’ head coach. Today she is the head coach at the University of South Carolina and runs the Dawn Staley Foundation.

Dawn Staley Personal Information

Staley is currently a coach and former player who is the head coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team. A point guard, she played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers and spent eight seasons in the WNBA, primarily with the Charlotte Sting.

Here are some Personal Details of Dawn Staley –

Dawn Staley Personal Life

Dawn Staley was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 4, 1970. She grew up in the projects at the corner of Diamond Avenue and 25th Street in North Philadelphia. Staley is one of five children; her siblings include Tracey, Lawrence, Anthony, and Eric. Their parents, Estelle and Clarence, wanted all of their children to be successful and they believed a good education was the key to a life outside of the projects.

Growing up Dawn lived on the basketball court. She played with the boys and, after they realized she had talent, she was given the respect she deserved. By associating herself with guys who were bigger and stronger than her, she felt confident when she stepped on the court to play with girls. The experiences she had throughout her childhood greatly helped her when she entered high school in 1986 at Dobbins Tech.

Dawn Staley Early Life

In her High School years, Staley was named the national high school player of the year during her final season at Murrell Dobbins Vocational High School in Philadelphia. After High School Staley attended the University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville, Virginia, from which she earned her degree in Rhetoric and Communication Studies. During College, She led her team to 4 NCAA tournaments, 3 Final Fours, and even 1 national championship game. She was named the ACC Female Athlete of the Year and the National Player of the Year in 1991 and 1992.

Staley finished her college career with 2,135 points and held the NCAA record for career steals with 454 (which has since been broken by current record holder, Natalie White). She finished her career at Virginia as the school’s all-time scoring leader and as the ACC’s all-time leader in assists at 729, but those records have since been broken by former UVA stars Monica Wright and Sharnee Zoll. Her number 24 is retired at UVA.

Dawn Staley Family

Her parents, Clarence, and Estelle Staley, moved to North Philadelphia from Orangeburg County, South Carolina in the 1950s, when they were still teenagers. They married young and in 1967. Together, Clarence, a part-time carpenter, and Estelle, a homemaker, raised five children—three boys, Lawrence, Anthony, and Eric, and two girls, Tracey and Dawn. Fearful of her disciplinarian mother, who was of faith and would not spare the rod, Staley knew to abide by her rules, “you lived clean. You’re good. You live a happy life”.

Is Dawn Staley married

Dawn Staley has rarely ever addressed her love life. Notably, Staley has never been married to anyone and has kept her personal life very private. However, it was speculated that she was romantically involved with the assistant coach, Lisa Boyer, over the last few years.

Rumors sparked in 2018, when Staley took to Twitter and wrote,“Boyer!! We are that old married couple who started young and will grow old together. You put the ride and die in the RIDE and DIE! Proud of you Boyer. Thanks for sacrificing your career to help me serve our teams, program, university, and state. What a ride?!” The exact nature of their relationship remains unconfirmed. This tweet attracted a lot of attention from fans and was interpreted as Dawn being romantically involved with Lisa Boyer. However, neither Dawn nor Lisa ever confirmed it

Dawn Staley Net Worth

According to sources, Dawn Staley has a net worth of $12 million, as of January 2025. This net worth is accumulated through her successful career as a player, coach, and through endorsements. Here are some details of Staley’s Net worth –

Dawn Staley Contract

In 2021, Staley signed a seven-year, 22.4 million contract with the University of South Carolina, earning $2.9 million annually. This marked a $800,000 raise. She also extended her contract until the 2029-2030 season worth $25.25 million, in January 2025.

Dawn Staley is in the third year of her seven-year, $22.4 million contract signed in 2021, and earned $3.1 million this season as per USA Today Sports Data. Her salary increases by $100,000 annually until the contract expires after the 2027-28 season. Staley is among the three highest paid women’s basketball coaches in America earning over a million. According to ESPN, she signed another contract extension until the 2029-2030 season worth $25.25 million in January 2025.

Dawn Staley Salary

Dawn Staley is currently the highest-paid coach in women's college basketball. She signed a contract extension with the University of South Carolina that started with an annual salary of $4 million in January 2025. The contract includes a $250,000 annual escalator, meaning her salary will increase by that amount each year through the 2029-2030 season.

Dawn Staley Personal Assets

Dawn Staley’s personal assets are not publicly disclosed but as per sources, Staley owns a luxurious home in Columbia, South Carolina. Staley may also own a collection of luxury cars, including a Mercedes-Benz S-Class and a Range Rover.

Dawn Staley Endorsements

Dawn Staley has endorsement deals with several prominent brands. Staley is in partnership with Nike, which supplies her team with uniforms, shoes, and other apparel. Although Nike is her primary sponsor, Staley has also partnered with Adidas for certain events and activations. While specific details of Dawn Staley's 2025 endorsements beyond her prominent partnership with Nike aren't widely publicized, her influence extends beyond her record-breaking coaching salary. The partnership with Nike is long-standing, featuring her in various campaigns. She has also invested in beverages, Car dealerships, Local businesses. While concrete names and financial figures for these additional endorsements in 2025 are not readily available, her significant brand appeal undoubtedly makes her a desirable partner for various companies seeking to connect with a successful and admired leader.

Dawn Staley Instagram

Dawn Staley’s Instagram handle is @staley05. You can follow her for updates on her coaching journey, basketball insights, and personal life. She is the head coach of South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team, Staley often shares moments from her team’s games and practices, as well as inspirational quotes and stories.

Dawn Staley Social Presence

Dawn Staley’s Twitter ID is @dawnstaley on which she has 250.3k followers. She joined this platform in January 2009. On Facebook Staley has 92k followers. Staley is a socially active person, she posts about her basketball life regularly on Twitter. As an icon, she wants to encourage young girls to choose sports in their lives and break all the shackles restricting them.

Dawn Staley Career Stats

Dawn Staley played for the Charlotte Sting and Houston Comets in the WNBA, where she played her first 6-7 years for the Charlotte Sting and then moved to Houston Comets in 2005. Dawn Staley was a skilled point guard with the Charlotte Sting and Houston Comets. She was a six-time WNBA All-Star known for her leadership and playmaking abilities.Here is the breakdown of Staley’s Career.

These Stats are taken from ESPN –

Dawn Staley Achievements

Dawn Staley’s achievements are truly impressive. Her College Achievements include 3x NCAA National Champion, 5x SEC Coach of the Year, and 4x Naismith Coach of the Year. Staley’s Won gold medals with the US women’s basketball team in 1996, 2000, and 2004, Won championships with the Houston Comets in 2002 and 2003, and 6x WNBA All-Star.

Apart from these, she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012, and the USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year Award in 1994 and 2004.

Dawn Staley Jersey

Dawn Staley's distinguished playing career is associated with several notable jerseys. In the WNBA, she famously wore the #5 jersey, first for the Charlotte Sting (1999-2005) and then for the Houston Comets (2006). As a six-time WNBA All-Star, her #5 jersey is a symbol of her leadership and playmaking abilities in the league. Representing USA Basketball, Staley proudly wore the #4 jersey for many years, contributing to three Olympic gold medal victories. Later in her Olympic journey, she also wore #12. These USA jerseys represent her dominance and contributions to international basketball. During her remarkable collegiate career at the University of Virginia, where her #24 jersey is retired, she also sported that number.