Dawn Staley Opens Up About Her Wedding, Revealing Intimate Details and a Summer
COLUMBIA, SC – For years, Dawn Staley has been celebrated for her strategic brilliance on the basketball court, a leader who has guided the University of South Carolina Gamecocks to multiple national championships and cemented a legacy as one of the most influential figures in sports. But in a candid and heartfelt interview this week, Staley pulled back the curtain on a deeply personal victory, one far from the roaring crowds and the glare of the arena lights: her upcoming wedding to longtime partner, Lisa Boyer.
In an exclusive conversation with ESPN The Magazine, Staley, 53, revealed that she and Boyer are set to be married in the summer of 2024 at a private estate in the picturesque Lowcountry of South Carolina.
“It’s a moment I’ve dreamed of, but never truly allowed myself to plan until now,” Staley shared, her characteristic intensity softening into a radiant smile. “The championships, the trophies—they’re monumental achievements I share with a team, a university, a state. But this… this is just for us. It’s our sanctuary.”
The couple, who have been together for over a decade, selected a historic plantation-style property nestled amidst ancient live oaks and sprawling marshes near Charleston. The venue, which Staley asked to remain unnamed to preserve their privacy, is a testament to Southern elegance and tranquility.
“We wanted a place that felt like home, but also like a complete escape,” explained Boyer, who serves as the Director of Player Development for the Gamecocks. “The Lowcountry has this magical, almost timeless quality. The light through the oak trees, the sound of the water… it’s the perfect backdrop to start this new chapter. It’s peaceful, which is something we both cherish.”
The wedding date is set for late July 2024, a deliberate choice during a brief lull in the relentless calendar of collegiate athletics. “You learn to live your life in the pockets of time the game gives you,” Staley said with a laugh. “July is our window. After the final recruit has visited and before the preseason grind truly begins, we get to have our moment.”
The revelation has been met with an outpouring of joy from the sports community and beyond. Staley, a Hall of Fame player and three-time Olympic gold medalist, has long been a private person regarding her personal life, choosing to let her professional accomplishments speak for themselves. This decision to publicly share her joy is seen by many as a powerful act of visibility.
“Coach Staley has always been a trailblazer,” said former player and current WNBA star A’ja Wilson. “She blazed a trail for Black coaches, for women in sports, and now, she’s showing the world the beauty of living and loving authentically. We are all so incredibly happy for her and Lisa. The whole Gamecock family is ready to celebrate with them.”
The wedding planning, Staley admits, has been a welcome departure from drawing up Xs and Os. While she is notoriously detail-oriented and demanding in her coaching, she has happily ceded much of the wedding orchestration to Boyer and a team of planners.
“Lisa has the clipboard for this one,” Staley joked. “I’m more of the executive approver. She’ll show me fabric swatches or floral arrangements, and I’ll give a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down. My main job is to show up, cry happy tears, and say ‘I do.’ I think I can handle that.”
The ceremony itself is planned to be an intimate affair, with a guest list comprised of close family, friends, and a handful of current and former players who Staley considers “extended family.” The couple emphasized that the day will be a reflection of their shared values: love, family, and a deep connection to their community.
“It won’t be a massive, star-studded event,” Boyer confirmed. “It’s about the people who have been on this journey with us from the beginning. The ones who have seen the late nights, the struggles, and the triumphs. This is for them, as much as it is for us.”
In a poignant detail, Staley revealed that her wedding dress is being designed by a young, up-and-coming Black designer from Philadelphia, her hometown. “It was important to me to carry a piece of my roots with me,” she explained, her voice growing thick with emotion. “Philadelphia made me. It hardened me, it taught me how to fight. To have a piece of that city woven into the fabric of my wedding dress… it feels right. It’s a full-circle moment.”
The reception will feature a menu heavy on Lowcountry cuisine—shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, and oyster roasts—paired with soul food classics, a nod to their diverse heritages and shared life. The playlist, they hinted, will be a curated mix of Motown, 90s R&B, and current hits, promising a dance floor that bridges generations.
When asked what she is most looking forward to, Staley didn’t hesitate.
“The silence,” she said. “Not the silence of being alone, but the silence in our togetherness. Standing there, holding her hands, and just… breathing it all in. For one day, the only clock that matters is the one counting down to us becoming wives. There’s no fourth quarter, no ticking shot clock. Just us, in that moment, forever.”
For a coach who has built her career on controlling the tempo of the game, her wedding day will be a beautiful surrender. It is the culmination of a journey not just of love, but of self-acceptance and the courage to define happiness on her own terms.
As the South Carolina summer sun sets over the marsh next July, Dawn Staley will step into a new role, not as a coach or a legend, but simply as a bride, surrounded by love, and finally taking her own victory lap.
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