Current:Home > News'Paid less, but win more': South Carolina's Dawn Staley fights for equity in ESPYs speech -OceanicInvest
'Paid less, but win more': South Carolina's Dawn Staley fights for equity in ESPYs speech
View
Date:2025-04-18 13:20:00
South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley delivered a powerful speech Thursday night at the ESPYs in which she championed pay equity for women, among other subjects.
"How do I not fight injustice when I ask them to do things the right way?" Staley said during the speech, moments after she asked her team to stand up and be recognized. "How do I not ask for fairness when I ask them not to cheat themselves, not to cut corners? How do I not fight for equity when I tell them they can climb as high as they want, they can be all they want?
"How do I not fight pay disparity when I do the same job and get paid less, but win more? They're watching me; I can't ask them to stand up for themselves if I'm sitting down, nor can I ask them to use their voice to affect change if I'm only willing to whisper. So, when someone tells me to 'shut up and coach,' I simply say: 'No.' I have a job to do."
According to a USA TODAY Sports database, Staley was paid $3.1 million this season in basic compensation, tying her with UConn's Geno Auriemma for second most in the country for women's college basketball coaches. That trailed only LSU's Kim Mulkey ($3.26 million).
By comparison, the USA TODAY Sports database that tracked the pay of men's college basketball coaches showed a wide discrepancy between the salaries of men's and women's coaches; Kansas coach Bill Self earned more than any other men's basketball coach last season, with a salary of $9.6 million. In fact, Staley's salary would have tied her for 38th highest among men's basketball coaches, with Oklahoma's Moser Porter.
Staley is one of 18 women's basketball coaches making $1 million or more this year, an uptick from 11 since USA TODAY Sports last did this investigation in 2021-22. By comparison, 71 men's basketball coaches earned at least $1 million in 2023-24.
Staley and South Carolina completed a perfect 38-0 season this year to win her second NCAA championship in three seasons and third overall, marking her as one of the top coaches among both the men's and women's ranks. Self, by comparison, has won two national championships, in 2008 and 2022.
"I try my best to do things in the right way, knowing that some little girl is out there watching me," Staley said. "Maybe she's growing up in the projects of north Philly like I did, or maybe she's in a rural town somewhere."
The speech came as Staley was accepting the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance for her work in advocating for cancer research and bone marrow donors. Staley's sister, Tracey Underwood, received a transplant from their brother in 2020 after being diagnosed with leukemia.
"It's the fight for me, the unwillingness to give up or to quit," Staley said. "I think that's why I stand here today. I'm not the one to back down and I don't give up, and believe me, I'm not perfect. I still clap back at people who troll me on social media. I can't help myself but I'm working on it. But every once in a while I get perspective, and I remember why I fight so hard."
veryGood! (6745)
Related
- Who are the most valuable sports franchises? Forbes releases new list of top 50 teams
- 'Golden Bachelorette' has been revealed! Fan-favorite Joan Vassos gets second chance at love
- Maine governor won’t sign 35 bills adopted on final day
- Selena Gomez Unveils New Photos of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Sequel TV Show
- How to watch new prequel series 'Dexter: Original Sin': Premiere date, cast, streaming
- Fed’s Powell downplays potential for a rate hike despite higher price pressures
- Fed’s Powell downplays potential for a rate hike despite higher price pressures
- Trophy Eyes Fan Details Terrifying Moment She Became Partially Paralyzed After Musician's Stage Dive
- US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
- Walmart layoffs: Retailer cuts hundreds of corporate jobs, seeks return to office
Ranking
- Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
- House Speaker Mike Johnson defends Trump outside New York trial in GOP show of support
- Caitlin Clark finishes with 20 points and 10 turnovers as Fever fall to Connecticut in WNBA opener
- Satellite images show what the historic geomagnetic storm looked like from space
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Wisconsin GOP-led Senate votes to override nine Evers vetoes in mostly symbolic action
- Porsha Williams' Affordable Home Finds Deliver Real Housewives Glam Starting at Just $7.99
- Satellite images show what the historic geomagnetic storm looked like from space
Recommendation
Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
Suspect in shooting of 2 Jewish men in Los Angeles last year agrees to plead guilty to hate crimes
The Cutest Bags Just Dropped at Kate Spade Outlet – Score Wristlets, Crossbodies & Totes Starting at $79
Amazon Web Services CEO Adam Selipsky steps down to 'spend more time with family, recharge'
Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds
Chiefs' Harrison Butker strikes against Pride Month, lauds wife's role as 'homemaker'
Man accused of killing his family in Mississippi shot dead in 'gunfight' with Arizona troopers
Caitlin Clark’s ready for her WNBA regular-season debut as Fever take on Connecticut