HBCU commissioner weighs in on Geno Auriemma’s Dawn Staley diss appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The postgame argument between South Carolina’s Dawn Staley and UConn’s Geno Auriemma after the Lady Gamecocks’ Final Four victory over the Lady Huskies on Friday drew the attention of the sports world. Many of the comments were supportive of Staley and critical of Auriemma, eventually leading to an apology by Auriemma on Saturday.
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“There’s no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina,” Auriemma said in a statement released by UConn. “It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut. I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them.”
The incident drew the attention of an HBCU leader who wasn’t happy with what occurred.
CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams-Parker took to her Facebook page to post a video speaking about the incident and repudiated Auriemma’s actions towards Staley in those tense Friday evening moments.
“I am totally disappointed, not surprised and triggered by the continued disrespect of Black women on and off the court. Please we have more common than you want to believe! Stop being insecure! Take your losses and celebrate someone else’s win. You coach black women and now they get to see how you treat them when it does not go your way! Please don’t make excuses for him, this is mine and many others lived experience every day as a women of color I hated to see it and to hear him speak about it with no remorse or empathy,” Williams said.
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