SCDOT reveals new roadway signs recognizing USC women’s basketball

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — A third national title.

Earlier this year, South Carolina’s women’s basketball team completed a hat-trick of championships in seven years.

Ray Tanner, USC Athletic Director :00-06

Coach Dawn Staley, USC Women’s Basketball :21-29

Justin Powell, SC DOT Secretary 1:28-34

“Secretary, we’re glad to have a South Carolinian in this role as we celebrate another South Carolina women’s basketball national championship,” said University of South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner.

Tuesday afternoon at Colonial Life Arena, SC DOT secretary Justin Powell helped unveil a new highway sign recognizing the accomplishments of Coach Dawn Staley’s team.

“It doesn’t just represent the success of our program,” Staley said. “It represents the people who have helped us win. It’s the community, the fans and our administrators.”

In total, 15 signs recognizing the program’s three championships will go up around the state.

Even after a hat-trick of titles, Coach Staley is hungry for more.

“It took 17 years to get one. Once you get one, you’re relieved because it’s something you work extremely hard for,” Staley said. “You win another one and feel blessed. The third one brings out the  greed.”

She hopes to run it back with this season’s team but says there is a lot of work to be done.

“If you saw our practice today, you’d have to get real motivated because it wasn’t one of our proud moments,” the USC coach said. “You think about what we’ve been able to accomplish and you want every single one of your players to win a national championship. We know the way to do that is to work hard at it. We have to work every day to get better.”

“I have a feeling that our sign shop will have to make a new sign in a few years,” said SC DOT Secretary Justin Powell. “We look forward to replacing them in the future.”