No. 2 South Carolina is set to open its season against Grand Canyon at Colonial Life Arena and the night promises to be about more than just basketball. Head coach Dawn Staley is preparing to reunite with former assistant Winston Gandy. Gandy, who joined Staley’s staff in April 2023 following Fred Chmiel’s departure to Bowling Green, will now take the court as her opponent.
Dawn Staley Opens Up on Facing Former Assistant Winston Gandy in Season Opener
When South Carolina begins its new season ranked No. 2 in the nation, the matchup against Grand Canyon will carry more than the usual anticipation. It marks a meaningful reunion between head coach Dawn Staley and her former assistant, Winston Gandy, who now leads the Antelopes program.
Gandy’s journey from assistant to head coach has come full circle. After joining Staley’s staff in April 2023 following Fred Chmiel’s move to Bowling Green, he helped guide the Gamecocks through one of their most successful stretches.
Two years later, he returns to Columbia as Grand Canyon’s new leader, bringing both sentiment and competition to the season opener at Colonial Life Arena.
Before tipoff, South Carolina will hold a ring ceremony celebrating last season’s 35-4 record, which included a dominant 16-1 mark at home. Staley couldn’t help but wonder if her former assistant would join the celebration.
When asked whether Winston Gandy would attend the pregame ring ceremony, Staley smiled and said she hoped he would be part of it.
“I hope he’s going to keep the ring. He knows, Staley said. “And I think it’ll be pretty cool for his team, for them to be a part of it, too. Because to go to a Final Four is monumental for any coach to experience that, and to have your team witness getting your hardware, and to see one of the banners that he’s able to help us win is only going to help his experience as a coach.”
Gandy earned his place in that celebration. While at South Carolina, he helped the program achieve a flawless 38-0 season and the 2024 national title. His work with All-American Te-Hina Paopao, who led the country in three-point shooting at 46.8%, contributed to the Gamecocks’ 39.5% team average from beyond the arc, third-best nationally.
Staley publicly credited his scouting during the championship run, saying,
“I’m going to give a lot of credit to Winston Gandy, who works with our perimeter players every single day… he did a hell of a job on this scout.”
Now at Grand Canyon, Gandy faces new challenges. His team finished 32-3 last season and averaged 76.7 points per game on 48.8% shooting, but he inherited a roster with just two returning players. Rebuilding quickly, he brought in 14 newcomers, including Cincinnati transfer Chloe Mann.
“The team that you see in November is going to be different from the team that you see in December, in January, and so on,” he said, emphasizing growth over immediate results.
Staley once embraced similar challenges, and her former protege is following that same path. As Gandy leads his Antelopes into one of the toughest environments in college basketball, the game will represent far more than a contest, it will be a reflection of mentorship, belief, and the shared pursuit of excellence that began years ago in Columbia.