A National Championship-Winning coach is upholding one of Disney World’s oldest traditions!
The parade!
The tradition of championship-winning players and coaches being celebrated at one of Disney’s U.S. theme parks dates back to 1987, when Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms declared, “I’m going to Disney World!” after his New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI. Over the years, countless major sports figures have taken part in the tradition following victories, and now a 2024 NCAA National Championship coach is set to join them.
South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley just coached the team to an undefeated 38-0 season, their second National Championship in three years and third overall. This just adds to Staley’s impressive list of accolades, which include three Olympic Gold Medals as a player and another as a coach, being named to the WNBA All-Star team on six occasions, and being enshrined in both the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. WOW.
Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
Staley shouted the famous phrase during her team’s postgame celebration after the Gamecocks defeated Iowa for the title, and Disney confirmed she would be visiting Disney World with a post on their social media accounts, which read in part: “Dawn Staley and the @gamecockwbb just won the NCAA Women’s #NationalChampionship! What is she going to do next? You guessed it – she is going to #WaltDisneyWorld!”
Dawn Staley after South Carolina’s win, ESPN
If you’re going to Disney World soon, keep your eyes out! You never know who you may see in the parks. Stay tuned to DFB for more updates and coverage of Staley’s trip to Disney World!
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