Staley has week of highs and lows

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In what she called the worst loss of her 8-year coaching career, Dawn Staley and the women’s basketball team had their score more than doubled by No. 6 Rutgets, in a 70-34 drubbing yesterday at the Louis Brown Athletic Center.

See game story here.

Conversely, on Dec. 27, Temple had good news, extending its Big 5 winning streak to 16, passing a previous mark held by St. Joseph’s in the early 1980s. The record stretched over five seasons, as reported by The Temple News.

All of that comes just a week after Staley was named one of seven to be honored in the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2008, according to the Virginia Pilot.

Staley, a North Philadelphia-native, graduated from the University of Virginia in 1993. In her four years, she had been the ACC Rookie of the Year, a three-time Kodak All-American and national Player of the Year twice. Under her leadership, the Cavaliers surged to three Final Four appearances.

As history tells, she went on to an illustrious Olympic and professional career and is likely to be known as one of the most successful women’s basketball players in the game’s early history. She started coaching at Temple in 2000, while still playing in the WNBA.

This recent most Rugets loss is likely a particular low point in that career.