Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
University of South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley had quite the busy weekend. After getting into a postgame confrontation with UConn coach Geno Auriemma following the Gamecocks’ semifinal win, she then made headlines with her outfit in the final on Sunday.
For Sunday’s national championship game between South Carolina and UCLA, Dawn Staley wore a $2,300 Balenciaga jacket from the brand’s “Basketball Series” collection — a black jacket with “BALENCIAGA 01” in white letters on the front — as her Gamecocks fell to the Bruins by a score of 79-51.
This certainly isn’t the first time that Staley has worn designer clothes on the sidelines, as she wore Gucci in the first round of this year’s tournament and Balenciaga again in the second round.
In the past, she’s also been spotted sporting high-end brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Balenciaga, Givenchy, and Chanel, and even attended the Gucci Fashion Show in Milan in 2024.
Still, given the way that the Gamecocks were steamrolled by the Bruins in the title game, Staley’s outfit choice caught some heat on social media.
Dawn Staley’s decision to wear Balenciaga during the national title game on Sunday drew criticism from social media
dawn staley wearing no South Carolina clothing and wearing balenciaga while getting blown out is diabolical lmao pic.twitter.com/iwYOGP1u2s
— John (@iam_johnw) April 5, 2026
Dawn Staley looks like she just discovered TJ Maxx has tacky, knock off Balenciaga clothes. pic.twitter.com/ChCByMiJ8L
— DNP Sports (@notthefakeDNP) April 5, 2026
This is why Dawn Staley will never be a true legend.
It’s all Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton and whatever is best for Dawn Staley. Of course her players can’t win the big one… their coach is too worried about her brand to actually care about what UCLA is doing.
Again, Dawn… https://t.co/rZrlnUcgBy
— Game 7 (@game7__) April 5, 2026
Balenciaga? Really? Maybe just a Gamecocks top would be appropriate.
Happy Easter Dawn…I hope UCLA absolutely destroys you guys today. Go Bruins! 😁 pic.twitter.com/JnJM30k2j5
— Bendelow Greens (@BendelowGreens) April 5, 2026
Sunday’s loss in the national championship was South Carolina’s fourth apperance in the title game in the last few years. The Gamecocks won in 2022 and 2024, and have lost in 2023, 2025, and 2026.