Staley inspires Rattler through her winning ways
Spencer Rattler has been in Columbia for a few months, but today he finally had the chance to meet South Carolina women’s basketball national championship-winning coach, Dawn Staley.
In a tweet posted this afternoon, Rattler described Staley as “the goat,” writing that the National Coach of the Year recipient is the “true definition of a winner.”
Staley quoted the tweet, saying it was great to meet Rattler, calling him “handsome as ever.” The official account for the Gamecock women’s basketball team replied to the tweet too.
Cheering each other on
Spencer Rattler has been a big fan of the women’s basketball team since coming to South Carolina. In a tweet following their national championship victory, Rattler said the Gamecocks “set the tone,” for other sports.
Staley, who has been a major supporter of Shane Beamer and the football program, hasn’t just met Rattler, but has visited with several football players over the last few months. In March transfer wide receiver Corey Rucker “lost it” when he met Staley during his official visit.
Rattler and Staley are obviously both big names in the world of South Carolina athletics, leaving many to wonder why it took this long for the two to meet. With busy spring schedules, however, it makes sense that the perfect time would come right before a big recruiting push for Staley and summer practice for Rattler.
Staley just returned from SEC spring meetings in Destin, Florida, where she was accompanied by Shane Beamer. Rattler will begin summer workouts soon, with the month of June looking to be busy for Gamecock football.
But meeting Staley is just one of the many things Rattler has done to accustom himself to life in Columbia. The quarterback asked the media during a press conference a few months ago about the best places to eat in the Capital City. Rattler also signed an NIL deal with a local car dealer in February, and he penned a deal with Garnet Trust in January.
Replicating the winning ways
Spencer Rattler is coming into a South Carolina program that is similar to the one that Staley inherited for women’s basketball at the start of her tenure. Like Staley’s team over a decade ago, the Gamecock football team has lots of talent and plenty of promise, and Rattler is hoping to take the team to the next level, just as Staley did.
Rattler will get that chance come September, with the first game of the season against Georgia State set for September 3rd. Until then, a jam-packed summer will keep him and the rest of the team busy, preparing for what they hope will be a breakthrough season.
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