[UPDATE] South Carolina’s Dawn Staley Says She’s Spoken w/ Conn’s Geno Auriemma After He Got In Her Face During Final Four Match & It’s Time To Move Forward’

Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma

[UPDATE] South Carolina’s Dawn Staley Says She’s Spoken w/ Conn’s Geno Auriemma After He Got In Her Face During Final Four Match & It’s Time To Move Forward’

Dawn Staley might want y’all to ease up on Geno Auriemma a little bit.

In a statement, she said it’s time to shift the focus back to the game, not their heated exchange after #SouthCarolina’s 62-48 Final Four win over #UConn. If you remember, just before the final buzzer, Geno confronted Dawn, falsely claiming she hadn’t shaken his hand before tip-off. After they were separated, a fired-up Dawn reportedly said, “I’ll beat Geno’s *ss.” The moment sparked backlash against Geno from sports fans and even celebrities, including #LilWayne, who took to X to write, “Geno a hoe”. 

In a post-game interview, Geno initially refused to apologize, standing by his actions. However, an apology that didn’t directly mention Dawn was soon released. In her own statement, Dawn confirmed they’ve since talked and emphasized her respect for him and his legacy, saying, “One moment doesn’t define a career.” She wrapped up her statement by urging fans to move on: “I’m asking everyone to turn the page. Let’s refocus on what matters most—continuing to elevate our game, creating opportunities, and pushing it forward.”