WNBA veteran Dawn Staley paid tribute to the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) and to Cheyney University’s Yolanda Laney by wearing Laney’s jersey during South Carolina’s March Madness game against South Florida on March 19, writes Martie Bowser for The Charlette Observer.

She led the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team to the Final Four.

On March 19, instead of wearing the trademark SC garnet and black while coaching her team to victory over South Florida, she wore a white and blue No. 44 Cheyney University jersey.

Cheyney University is the nation’s oldest Historically Black College and University and the only HBCU team to advance to the Final Four in women’s college basketball.

Legendary coach C. Vivian Stringer led them in 1982 and 1984. She recently retired in 2022 with an overall record of 1,055-426 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

The No. 44 jersey belonged to Yolanda Laney. Laney led Cheyney to four Elite Eight and two Final Four appearances during her time at the school.

The Olympian told a reporter that Laney is also a Philadelphia native and organized a youth basketball league she played in growing up.

Read more about Dawn Staley in The Charlotte Observer.

Find out about the history of Cheyney University.