Dawn Staley coaching tree reunites to open South Carolina season

Dawn Staley and South Carolina opened its season with two familiar faces on the opposing sideline: Grand Canyon head coach Winston Gandy and Bowling Green head coach Fred Chmiel.

Chmiel served as an assistant for Staley from 2015 to 2023 before taking on his first head coaching job with the Falcons. When he left, Gandy joined, serving under Staley from 2023-25.

Both coaches opened their post-game press conferences with a different feeling than they were used to when coaching at Colonial Life Arena.

“Well, I finally get to see kind of what a lot of other teams got to experience the last two years here,” Gandy said following a 94-54 loss to the Gamecocks.

Chmiel, having already faced and lost to Staley’s Gamecocks at home in 2024-25, had a little less shock following his 114-47 loss.

“Yeah, it’s the number two team in the country for a reason,” Chmiel said. “Not only do they have great players, they have great coaching. (The) environment is incredible. It’s a lot to handle, and it was a lot for us to handle.”

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Gandy’s return came so recently after coaching in Columbia, the former assistant admitted to almost heading to the wrong locker room.

“I think it was a little weird. I mean, even coming in, I think I went to the wrong locker room,” Gandy said. “It was like one locker room off, and they all started laughing. But this place has been great to me. Obviously, I didn’t spend a whole lot of time here, but you wouldn’t be able to tell by the sense of community.”

Chmiel also had a weird feeling returning to Columbia for the game against his former team.

“It was different for me. Rolling into town and seeing some of the areas that I used to frequent and some of the routes I used to take to work and the office that I spent so much time in, it’s a little out-of-body experience, I can say that, I guess,” Chmiel said. “But you know, I had great moments here, I had great times. And you know, I still love all the people here. They’re like my family. “

That community and family feeling extends to every coach that’s been through Staley’s program. The legendary coach, entering her 18th season in South Carolina, often extends as much support as she can to her former assistants.

That said, it doesn’t mean Staley doesn’t want to beat them when the time comes for tip-off.

“Anybody that comes in here, whether they’re family or foe, we want to beat. So, it was cool,” Staley said after Grand Canyon. “It’ll be cool to have Fred back with his team. And I hope it’s the same result.”

Playing these games against your former team is difficult. Gandy understands why some may not take that kind of game.

“It’s kind of bittersweet, if that makes sense. But really, really cool to see a lot of late faces, a lot of growth,” Gandy said. “Which, for me, that’s why I’m in this game, is to impact young women’s lives, and so to really kind of see that on both sides, come to fruition is really cool.”

Gandy credited his wife and Staley for helping him prepare for that moment.

“Dawn kind of showed me that for two years,” Gandy said. “Doesn’t matter what arena you’re playing (in), like the game is the game. There will be things that happen outside the game, but you’ve got to keep the main thing the main thing. 

Both coaches hope their players can build on the game against Staley’s Gamecocks and use it as motivation to never quit.

NEW! Message board for South Carolina Women’s Basketball!