WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark is deep into the March Madness fever. After UCLA dominated South Carolina 79-51 for the 2026 women’s NCAA championship, Clark tweeted her congratulations to the Bruins. Clark specifically mentioned Bruins coach Cori Close in her comment.
One fan promptly reacted to the Indiana Fever superstar’s tweet:
“U think she forgot how Staley conspired against her to keep her off the Olympic team? I think not.”
Another fan added:
“Subtle…nicely done.”
One more fan continued:
“She may not take sh*t from anyone this year.”
Another fan commented:
“Still salty about Gamecocks booting Iowa out of the finals years back, huh? Interesting.”
One fan tweeted:
“I knew she was rooting for UCLA. I love it. The good prevails.”
Close’s counterpart in the title game was none other than the legendary Dawn Staley. The three-time NCAA champion coach guided the Gamecocks to a stunning upset of the dethroned champs, UConn, in the Final Four on Friday. Staley was also at the helm when South Carolina beat Caitlin Clark’s Iowa in the 2024 title game.
Staley was part of the selection committee that chose the WNBA stars who represented Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The gold-medal winning American team included guards Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu, Chelsea Plum and Jewell Loyd.
Caitlin Clark failed to earn a roster spot when the lineup was announced by USA Basketball on June 11. During the tournament, Staley admitted that if the committee were to “do it all over again,” Clark would be “in really high consideration.” Staley mentioned that the Fever point guard had been “playing head and shoulders above a lot of people,” following her early struggles as a rookie.
Dawn Staley Prayed Caitlin Clark Wouldn’t Win Seal Legendary Collegiate Career With Championship Against South Carolina
Heading into the 2024 NCAA women’s championship between South Carolina and Iowa, Dawn Staley responded when asked to comment on Caitlin Clark’s collegiate career:
“If Caitlin wins the championship, she’s pretty damn good, yeah, like she’s a GOAT. I mean, she’s really damn good regardless. But winning the championship would seal the deal. I hope to the dear Lord she doesn’t.”
Staley’s prayers were answered when the Gamecocks beat the Hawkeyes 87-75. The victory was also payback for the 2023 Final Four loss South Carolina suffered at the hands of Iowa. Staley said on Friday that the defeat continues to haunt her.
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