{"id":1586866,"date":"2026-04-08T11:41:49","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T15:41:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/?post_type=article&#038;p=1586866"},"modified":"2026-04-08T11:59:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T15:59:32","slug":"dawn-staley-finally-gets-a-real-apology","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/entertainment\/sports\/dawn-staley-finally-gets-a-real-apology\/","title":{"rendered":"Dawn Staley Finally Gets A Real Apology From Geno Auriemma Because You Spoke Up"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"article__media wide\">\n\t<div class=\"common-article-sec first-sec\" data-hash=\"\" data-post-id=\"1586866\">\n\t\t<!-- image -->\n\t\t<div class=\"d-flex\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"picture \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hero-img\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1920x1080.jpg?width=1920 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1920x1080.jpg?width=1920 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1028px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1920x1080.jpg?width=800 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1920x1080.jpg?width=1200 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 0px)\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=https://www.essence.com/"https:////media.essence.com//vxcjywbwpa//uploads//2026//04//GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1920x1080.jpg/" alt=\"Dawn Staley Finally Gets A Real Apology From Geno Auriemma Because You Spoke Up\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" \/><\/picture><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"quick-social-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a rel=\"noopener\" class=\"js-pintrest-share-btn\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   href=https://www.essence.com/"https:////www.pinterest.com//pin//create//link//?url=https:\/\/www.essence.com\/entertainment\/sports\/dawn-staley-finally-gets-a-real-apology\/?utm_source=pinterest.com&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=essence&amp;media=1586869&amp;description=Dawn+Staley+Finally+Gets+A+Real+Apology+From+Geno+Auriemma+Because+You+Spoke+Up\%22 aria-label=\"Dawn+Staley+Finally+Gets+A+Real+Apology+From+Geno+Auriemma+Because+You+Spoke+Up\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"svg-icon\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"img\" focusable=\"false\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><path d=\"M12.289,2C6.617,2,3.606,5.648,3.606,9.622c0,1.846,1.025,4.146,2.666,4.878c0.25,0.111,0.381,0.063,0.439-0.169 c0.044-0.175,0.267-1.029,0.365-1.428c0.032-0.128,0.017-0.237-0.091-0.362C6.445,11.911,6.01,10.75,6.01,9.668 c0-2.777,2.194-5.464,5.933-5.464c3.23,0,5.49,2.108,5.49,5.122c0,3.407-1.794,5.768-4.13,5.768c-1.291,0-2.257-1.021-1.948-2.277 c0.372-1.495,1.089-3.112,1.089-4.191c0-0.967-0.542-1.775-1.663-1.775c-1.319,0-2.379,1.309-2.379,3.059 c0,1.115,0.394,1.869,0.394,1.869s-1.302,5.279-1.54,6.261c-0.405,1.666,0.053,4.368,0.094,4.604 c0.021,0.126,0.167,0.169,0.25,0.063c0.129-0.165,1.699-2.419,2.142-4.051c0.158-0.59,0.817-2.995,0.817-2.995 c0.43,0.784,1.681,1.446,3.013,1.446c3.963,0,6.822-3.494,6.822-7.833C20.394,5.112,16.849,2,12.289,2\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDawn Staley&#8217;s basketball dominance is unmatched. (Photo by John Byrum\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t<div class=\"article__meta\">\n\t\t<div class=\"article__meta-avatar\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.essence.com/"https:////secure.gravatar.com//avatar//?s=96&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g\%22 alt=\"\" width=\"78\"\n\t\t\t\t\theight=\"78\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"article__meta-content\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"byline\"><span class=\"author vcard\">By <a class=\"url fn n\" href=https://www.essence.com/"https:////www.essence.com//authors//bridgette-bartlett-royall-0///">Bridgette Bartlett Royall<\/a><\/span><\/span>\t\t\t<span class=\"article__meta-sep\">&middot;<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on\"><a href=https://www.essence.com/"https:////www.essence.com//entertainment//sports//dawn-staley-finally-gets-a-real-apology///" rel=\"bookmark\"><time class=\"entry-date published updated\" datetime=\"2026-04-08T11:59:32-04:00\">Updated April 8, 2026<\/time><\/a><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><!-- .meta-info -->\n\n\t<div class=\"icon-bar-1586866 icon-bar hide-on-mobile icon-bar--desktop\">\n\t\t\t<a href=https://www.essence.com/"https:////www.facebook.com//sharer//sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.essence.com\/entertainment\/sports\/dawn-staley-finally-gets-a-real-apology\/\%22 target=\"_blank\" class=\"facebook\"><svg class=\"svg-icon\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"img\" focusable=\"false\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M9 8h-3v4h3v12h5v-12h3.642l.358-4h-4v-1.667c0-.955.192-1.333 1.115-1.333h2.885v-5h-3.808c-3.596 0-5.192 1.583-5.192 4.615v3.385z\"\/><\/svg><\/a>\n\t\t<a rel=\"noopener\" class=\"pintrest\" href=https://www.essence.com/"https:////www.pinterest.com//pin//create//button//?url=https:\/\/www.essence.com\/entertainment\/sports\/dawn-staley-finally-gets-a-real-apology\/?utm_source=pinterest.com&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=essence&amp;media=https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1.jpg&amp;description=Dawn+Staley+Finally+Gets+A+Real+Apology+From+Geno+Auriemma+Because+You+Spoke+Up\%22 target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\"><svg class=\"svg-icon\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"img\" focusable=\"false\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><path d=\"M12.289,2C6.617,2,3.606,5.648,3.606,9.622c0,1.846,1.025,4.146,2.666,4.878c0.25,0.111,0.381,0.063,0.439-0.169 c0.044-0.175,0.267-1.029,0.365-1.428c0.032-0.128,0.017-0.237-0.091-0.362C6.445,11.911,6.01,10.75,6.01,9.668 c0-2.777,2.194-5.464,5.933-5.464c3.23,0,5.49,2.108,5.49,5.122c0,3.407-1.794,5.768-4.13,5.768c-1.291,0-2.257-1.021-1.948-2.277 c0.372-1.495,1.089-3.112,1.089-4.191c0-0.967-0.542-1.775-1.663-1.775c-1.319,0-2.379,1.309-2.379,3.059 c0,1.115,0.394,1.869,0.394,1.869s-1.302,5.279-1.54,6.261c-0.405,1.666,0.053,4.368,0.094,4.604 c0.021,0.126,0.167,0.169,0.25,0.063c0.129-0.165,1.699-2.419,2.142-4.051c0.158-0.59,0.817-2.995,0.817-2.995 c0.43,0.784,1.681,1.446,3.013,1.446c3.963,0,6.822-3.494,6.822-7.833C20.394,5.112,16.849,2,12.289,2\"><\/path><\/svg><\/a>\n\t\t<a href=https://www.essence.com/"https:////twitter.com//intent//tweet?text=Dawn+Staley+Finally+Gets+A+Real+Apology+From+Geno+Auriemma+Because+You+Spoke+Up%20https:\/\/www.essence.com\/entertainment\/sports\/dawn-staley-finally-gets-a-real-apology\/%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter.com%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3Dsocial-button-sharing+via+%40ESSENCE\%22 target=\"_blank\" class=\"twitter\"><svg class=\"svg-icon\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"img\" focusable=\"false\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" version=\"1.1\" width=\"256\" height=\"256\" viewBox=\"0 0 256 256\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><defs\/><g style=\"stroke: none; 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opacity: 1;\" transform=\" matrix(1 0 0 1 0 0) \" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a>\n\t\t<a href=https://www.essence.com/"mailto:?subject=Dawn Staley Finally Gets A Real Apology From Geno Auriemma Because You Spoke Up&#038;body=https:\/\/www.essence.com\/entertainment\/sports\/dawn-staley-finally-gets-a-real-apology\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"email\"><svg class=\"svg-icon\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"img\" focusable=\"false\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 15.84\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><path d=\"M0 0v15.84h24V0zm1.53 13.41v-11l6.33 5.5zM12 9.5l-9.22-8h18.43zm9.22 4.83H2.78L9 8.92l3 2.59 3-2.59zm-5.08-6.41l6.33-5.5v11z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/a>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div style=\"max-width: 600px; margin: 0 auto 2rem;\">\n\t\t<div class=\"trinity-player-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"trinity-tts-pb\" dir=\"ltr\" style=\"font: 12px \/ 18px Verdana, Arial; height: 80px; line-height: 80px; text-align: left; margin: 0 0 0 82px;\">\n\t\t\t\t<strong style=\"font-weight: 400\">Getting your <a href=https://www.essence.com/"////trinityaudio.ai/" style=\"color: #4b4a4a; text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700;\">Trinity Audio<\/a> player ready&#8230;<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div id=\"player-1586866\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t<script data-player-id=\"1586866\" src=https://www.essence.com/"https:////trinitymedia.ai//player//trinity//2900020828//?pageURL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.essence.com%2Fentertainment%2Fsports%2Fdawn-staley-finally-gets-a-real-apology%2F&amp;readContentType=URL&amp;readContentConfig=%7B%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.essence.com%2Fentertainment%2Fsports%2Fdawn-staley-finally-gets-a-real-apology%2F%22%2C%22dataType%22%3A%22html%22%7D\%22 charset=\"UTF-8\"><\/script>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"trinityAudioPlaceholder\" style=\"width: 100%;\" ><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<p>Malcom X proclaimed that the most disrespected person in America is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/news\/money-career\/black-women-job-loss-naacp-response\/\">Black woman<\/a>. More than 60 years after he made this assertion, it still resonates, even during a 2026 college basketball game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, coached by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/fashion\/dawn-staley-uncommon-favor-interview\/\">Dawn Staley<\/a>, defeated the University of Connecticut Huskies, coached by Geno Auriemma, 62-48, on April 3 in the 2026 Women&#8217;s Final Four, it was a huge win for the Staley and her talented team. The highly anticipated semifinal matchup put them one step closer to winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Women\u2019s Basketball Championship title, which the team has successfully done under Staley leadership in 2017, 2022 and 2024. However, it was what occurred immediately following the game that made headlines both in and out of the sports world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Right before the intense game\u2019s final buzzer, Auriemma approached Staley for a postgame handshake. The coach of a previously undefeated UConn preceded to angrily get in Staley\u2019s face while yelling and pointing at her. It was a triggering sight. For context, Auriemma is 6\u20191\u201d. Staley is 5\u20196\u201d.&nbsp;Eventually, Staley did begin firing back. The two premiere coaches were soon separated by game officials and their staffs before Auriemma walked off into the tunnel alone. It became a hot topic as the visual of Staley being yelled at so ferociously by her peer after just reaching yet another career accomplishment felt familiar for all the wrong reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following day, Auriemma issued an <em>apology<\/em>\u2026to everyone but Staley. That\u2019s right, said \u201capology\u201d noticeably omitted Staley\u2019s name. In the statement, Auriemma said &#8220;there&#8217;s no excuse&#8221; for his behavior and that it was &#8220;unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut&#8221;. The statement quickly went viral on social media over Easter Weekend and thousands of people, many of whom weren\u2019t even college basketball fans, expressed even more support for Staley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a press conference later that day, Staley, who is also a <em>New York Times<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/uncommon-favor-dawn-staley\/1147025824\">best-selling author<\/a>, was asked by multiple members of the media about the incident. Her response to a query from a<em> New York Post <\/em>reporter about staying focused on her goals reminded us of why Staley is, and always has been, a winner. With her hair pulled back into a ponytail, wearing her signature beaded bracelets and her vibe as cool as a fan, Staley quipped, \u201cOne: I had a praying mother. Right? Two: I grew up in the projects of <em>North <\/em>Philly. Right? 215. 267. Area code. So, nothing can derail us, or me, from staying with the task at hand. There are a lot of distractions that are placed in your life. You\u2019re either going to address them or let them overcome you. Or you stick with the task at hand. I\u2019m choosing to stick with the task at hand. At some point, everything is going to be addressed. But today, this weekend, won\u2019t be one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mic drop. Spoken like a true champion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being a champion is something Dawn Michelle Staley knows a lot about. Her parents were part of the Great Migration, fleeing Jim Crow life in South Carolina in the 1950s and landing in Philadelphia for more opportunity. Fortitude is in her DNA. Now, let\u2019s recap some of her receipts. Dawn Staley\u00a0has repeatedly broken glass ceilings in both collegiate and professional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/entertainment\/sports\/wnba-cultural-revolution\/\">women\u2019s basketball<\/a>.\u00a0In 2000, Staley became the head <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/celebrity\/aja-wilson-mentoring-the-next-generation-of-dreamers\/\">women\u2019s basketball<\/a> coach at Temple University while concurrently playing for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/beauty\/angel-reese-first-wnba-player-star-in-victorias-secret-campaign\/\">WNBA<\/a> (Charlotte Sting).\u00a0After transitioning to South Carolina from Temple, her 2023\u20132024 team completed the season with a 38-0 record, becoming one of the few programs in Division I history to finish a season undefeated. Staley served as the head coach for the U.S. Women\u2019s National Team during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where the team took home the gold. She\u2019s the first person in U.S.A. Basketball history to win an Olympic gold medal as both a player and a head coach. In addition, Staley was selected as the U.S. flag bearer for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, becoming the first U.S.A. Basketball athlete to do so. She was chosen by fellow U.S. team captains. To the news Staley admitted, \u201cIt\u2019s a tremendous honor. I\u2019m invisible most of the time. I\u2019m not even a conversation starter.\u00a0I am still in total disbelief.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Killing it in her career, breaking records left and right, and yet she felt invisible. This is a big part of why we collectively were riding for her so hard. Many of us had discerning mothers (and grandmothers and aunties) who prayed for us when we didn\u2019t have the discernment to pray for ourselves. And many of us also grew up in the projects of North Philly or similar types of neighborhoods on the South Side of Chicago or East Oakland but also in lofty New York City brownstones and expansive ranch homes in Baldwin Hills. The geographic location isn\u2019t nearly as significant as the fact that growing up as a Black girl in America with an unquestionable talent and the discipline to nurture that talent and strive for something bigger than your zip code takes gumption and resilience. We all see that in Staley. It is largely why when we saw Auriemma screaming in her face, after her team had just won no less, we weren\u2019t having it. Nah, bruh. Our sis\u2019 deserved better. And it was Easter Weekend. We had time. So, we (loudly) called out his unprofessionalism, lack of accountability and poor sportsmanship on every platform. En masse. And danggit, someone at the University of Connecticut paid attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fast forward to Tuesday night, Coach Auriemma released a statement stating that he &#8220;lost&#8221; himself with his behavior toward South Carolina coach Dawn Staley during his team&#8217;s Final Four defeat last Friday. Staley\u2019s name was included in the statement four times. He took ownership for his actions. When we as a community work as a team, we can create positive change. Staley has publicly declared that she\u2019s ready to turn the page from all of this \u2013 yet another sign of her strategic leadership. Is it time for us to stand in a circle, hold hands and sing <em>Kumbaya<\/em>? Probably not. But it is absolutely something to acknowledge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because if this entire ordeal has taught us nothing else it is that a win is a win. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 16x9px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 3x1px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 3x4px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 4x3px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1x1px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 3x2px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 2x3px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 136x91px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: nonepx)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg?width=800 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg?width=800 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1440px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg?width=800 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg?width=800 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg?width=800 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg?width=800 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1028px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg?width=800 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg?width=800 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg?width=400 1x, https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg?width=400 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 0px)\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-1224599062-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Dawn Staley Finally Gets A Real Apology From Geno Auriemma Because You Spoke Up\" width=\"400\" height=\"573\" \/><\/picture><figcaption>Dawn Staley #24,Guard for the University of Virginia Cavaliers women&#8217;s basketball team poses for a portrait during the NCAA Atlantic Coast Conference college basketballl season circa January 1991 at the campus of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States.   (Photo by Damian Strohmeyer\/Allsport\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"article__tags\"><span class=\"article__tags-title\">TOPICS:&nbsp; <\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/tags\/black-women-in-sports\/\" rel=\"tag\">black women in sports<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/tags\/dawn-staley\/\" rel=\"tag\">Dawn Staley<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/tags\/final-four\/\" rel=\"tag\">Final Four<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/tags\/march-madness\/\" rel=\"tag\">March Madness<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/tags\/womens-college-basketball\/\" rel=\"tag\">Womens College Basketball<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","article_category":[1559,1483,46626],"article_author":[2443],"article_tags":[104285,116069,117631,116957,114698],"class_list":["post-1586866","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry","article_category-culture","article_category-entertainment","article_category-sports","article_author-bridgette-bartlett-royall-0","article_tags-black-women-in-sports","article_tags-dawn-staley","article_tags-final-four","article_tags-march-madness","article_tags-womens-college-basketball","entry"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1.jpg",2560,1920,false],"landscape_large":["https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1-1920x1080.jpg",1920,1080,true],"portrait_large":["https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1-800x1200.jpg",600,900,true],"square_large":["https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1.jpg",1200,900,false],"4_3_large":["https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1-1200x900.jpg",1200,900,true],"landscape":["https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1-1920x1080.jpg",1280,720,true],"portrait":["https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1-800x1200.jpg",600,900,true],"square":["https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1.jpg",860,645,false],"4_3":["https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1-1200x900.jpg",1200,900,true],"16x9_xs":["https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1.jpg",2560,1920,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/media.essence.com\/vxcjywbwpa\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2206164647-Cropped-1.jpg",150,113,false]},"article_excerpt_essence":"<p>The UConn coach\u2019s second apology for his Final Four outburst is bigger than basketball\u2014and Black women understand exactly why.<\/p>\n","category_list":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/culture\/\" rel=\"tag\">Culture<\/a> &middot; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/entertainment\/\" rel=\"tag\">Entertainment<\/a> &middot; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essence.com\/entertainment\/sports\/\" rel=\"tag\">Sports<\/a>","author_info":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Dawn Staley Finally Gets A Real Apology From Geno Auriemma Because You Spoke Up - Essence | Essence<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discourse surrounding the disrespect of Black women on and off the court is what forced the UConn coach to put respect on Staley&#039;s name.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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