Dawn Staley brings winning vision from Temple to South Carolina

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The NCAA Championship win by South Carolina Sunday night was also one for Philadelphia.

After all, in the end it was Philadelphia's Dawn Staley holding up that trophy.

"The fact that she was from 25th and Diamond, went Dobbins, is from North Philly, and talks about it when she's on television. It's just a wonderful thing when one of our own does well and makes us proud," Mayor Jim Kenney said.

Sure enough, Staley took the first chance she got to remember her Temple University roots.

"I have to go back to my Temple days. Those are the guys that really believed in our vision. We took that vision to South Carolina. That vision was we will be National Champions," Staley said.

The North Philadelphia native spent eight years serving the sidelines on North Broad Street before moving on to South Carolina.

Temple men's head coach Fran Dunphy saw this coming.

"Whatever the it factor is, Dawn Staley's got it. It's so tremendous to see her success and, obviously, the success came almost immediately when she went to South Carolina. She was very successful here at Temple, as well. The reality is she's been so successful throughout her life," Dunphy said.

At Dobbins High School where Staley was the National Player of the Year, they have a mural for her outside the Dawn Staley Gymnasium. They couldn't be more proud about their most famous alum.

"She's always been small in stature, but she's the biggest in her heart and in her personality, she's a giant," Staley's former teacher Carolyn Monson said.

And with a National Championship? Staley is even more larger than life than ever.

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