South Carolina women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley tipped off the 2021-22 season by sending a piece of her 2017 national championship net to all Black female head coaches in the NCAA’s Division 1 level.

Staley did this as a continuation of a tradition started by Carolyn Peck in 2015. Peck gave Staley a piece of her net from 1999, when she became the first Black female head coach to win a national championship.  

“After returning Carolyn's piece of the net to her, I struggled to pick just one other coach to give mine to keep the tradition alive,” wrote Staley in the cards that came with the net. “I don't want to count black women as National Championship coaches by one every few decades. I want us to do it so often we lose count!"

Staley continued, emphasizing how important Black women head coaches were to the sport and in pursuing the same end-goal.

“Looking at that net, the strings knotted together to form a crucial piece of equipment in our game,” continued Staley.  “I realized that's what we as black women head coaches are -- a crucial part of our game all at different intersections along our journey to a National Championship."

The 2021-22 NCAA women’s college basketball season tipped off Tuesday, highlighted by Staley’s South Carolina squad downing No. 5 N.C. State. The Gamecocks are considered heavy favourites to win the 2022 national championship.