Will Virginia Make a Run at Dawn Staley To Be Its Next Head Coach?

The Virginia Cavaliers women's basketball program is facing an unexpected obstacle right now after it was announced that Amaka Agugua-Hamilton would not be returning as its head coach. This immediately flipped the program upside down, and now it is time to get to work on filling this role.

As shocking as this was, and despite the news coming after playing such a phenomenal season, the Hoos now have an opportunity to pursue one of the most iconic coaches in women's college basketball—South Carolina Gamecocks' Dawn Staley.

Could Coach Staley Be UVA’s Next Head Coach?

South Carolina Gamecocks Dawn Staley on the court during a game — South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Of course, pursuing Staley would be a monumental undertaking, but it's no secret that Staley has a knack for winning. At the time of this writing, she is coming off a colossal 62-48 victory over the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. Now, the Gamecocks are gearing up for another championship matchup, this time against the UCLA Bruins.

She's a tough coach, but that's exactly the type of leadership a program needs to make a deep run in the tourney. Staley's coaching style might just be the missing piece to Virginia's puzzle, ultimately, pushing them further up the rankings and into next year's Elite Eight.

Of course, Staley goes way back with UVA. In fact, she was a Cavalier herself and made three consecutive trips to the highly touted Final Four, one of which eventually led the Hoos into the championship game. She is one of the greatest players ever in UVA's history and would be welcomed back.

After Virginia's run this year, Staley congratulated the Hoos on their success—it's clear that she keeps an eye on her alma mater. Considering her extensive history with UVA and her consistent winning ways, pursuing her as the new head coach would certainly pay off, and rather quickly.

As for Agugua-Hamilton, it's unclear what her next chapter in college basketball entails. But Virginia can't focus on the past; they must keep a forward mindset and carefully navigate these coaching changes.

Staley may not end up as UVA's head coach and it is a longshot she would even consider it, but choosing not to pursue her would simply be a missed opportunity. She has a stunning track record in the NCAA Tournament, she's already well-versed with the culture at UVA and she is a coach who knows what it takes to push a program beyond what was thought possible. Bringing Staley on board would be a transformative moment for the Hoos and would boost their chances of finally clinching a long-awaited championship title.