Dawn Staley continues to win, and in style.
But there was more to Friday's 2025 women's NCAA TournamentFinal Four victory over Texas for Staley. The 17th-year South Carolina coach was sporting a Gucci two-piece suit, but it was not the name brand outfit that caught everyone's attention.
Instead, the necklaces Staley was sporting caught everyone's eye.
Staley wore her necklaces proudly in honor of Blakeleigh Thompson ― a 7-year-old girl battling leukemia. Thompson was shown in attendance of the game by ESPN's Holly Rowe.
"She had a chance to meet a little girl, Blakeleigh, 7 years old, who is going through leukemia," Rowe said on the ESPN broadcast at the beginning of the third quarter. "She met her in 2023 but tonight Blakeleigh gets to be here and watch Coach Staley coach for the first time."
The sweet reason behind Dawn Staley's necklaces is a little girl named Blakeleigh Thompson ❤️ pic.twitter.com/MtL3DbGFcD
— ESPN (@espn) April 5, 2025
Rowe added that Staley added a new necklace to her collection, and Thompson was in attendance.
"You'll notice a little tiny one, right around the top, that Dawn is wearing," Rowe said. "A really beautiful connection. Dawn said it reminds of her of how blesses she is to be coaching basketball."
Staley talked about the necklace and her relationship with Blakeleigh and her family in a March 23, 2024 interview on "SportsCenter."
Dawn Staley's necklace she made earlier this summer at the UVA Health Children's Hospital was beginning to wear.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 23, 2024
This morning, she was greeted with a special surprise from one of her favorite people 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/aOKElHZqpn
"I just feel forever indebted that they allowed me a small part of their life, which changed my life," Staley said. "I mean, I'm going to wear this until the beads fall off."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dawn Staley necklace: Why South Carolina coach wears jewelry in games
