South Carolina's Dawn Staley praises Caitlin Clark for ‘lifting up our sport,’ calls her ‘one of the GOATs’

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Dawn Staley was bent over in tears trying to reflect immediately after her South Carolina Gamecocks won the third NCAA women's basketball national championship with her in place as head coach. 

But as she basked in the confetti falling from the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse ceiling in Cleveland and lifted the national championship trophy, Staley shouted out the Iowa Hawkeyes for an "incredible season" and took time to praise Caitlin Clark for everything she's done for women's basketball.

"I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport," Staley said after the 87-75 win over Iowa on Sunday. "She carried a heavy load for our sport, and it is not going to stop here on a collegiate tour. When she’s the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, she’s going to lift that league up as well.

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Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes looks on during the second half of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament National Championship game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

"So, Caitlin Clark, if you’re out there, you are one of the GOATs [greatest of all time] of our game, and we appreciate you."

While South Carolina was certainly one of the biggest storylines all season long in women's basketball, as they capped their undefeated season to become the 10th national champion to ever accomplish that feat, Clark's stardom skyrocketed with the Hawkeyes as she rewrote the NCAA record books. 

SOUTH CAROLINA CAPS UNDEFEATED SEASON WITH NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WIN OVER IOWA

Clark is the all-time leading scorer in both men's and women's basketball,