Staley's "Champ" by her side for No. 1 Gamecocks at Atlantis

Posted November 22, 2021 6:00 am

By AARON BEARD

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) - Dawn Staley brought more than her top-ranked South Carolina team to the inaugural women's Battle 4 Atlantis.

Her best pal - 4-year-old dog Champ - is alongside her as she walks the resort with fans recognizing him by name, in the locker room and even at news conferences. The only place Champ hasn't joined Staley is on the sidelines during the tournament, where the Gamecocks play No. 2 Connecticut for Monday's championship.

'œOn the road I have a certain routine, and it's a routine that doesn't involve Champ because he really doesn't come on the road,'ť Staley told The Associated Press with Champ sitting on her lap. 'œSo my routine changed a little bit, but I welcome it because he's just such a great boy.

'œHe's patient. I mean, he's easy, he's easy to get along with. And he's always by my side.'ť

Champ - who has his own Twitter account and is named after the Gamecocks' 2017 NCAA tile run - joined them for last March's Southeastern Conference Tournament in their home state but had never flown nor ventured outside the U.S. He remains in the locker room during games and has attended two news conferences, sitting attentively on a front-row chair with assistant coach Lisa Boyer after Saturday's Buffalo win.

'œAfter (that game) and all those turnovers we had, it's good to go back to the room and just have somebody to comfort you, because that wasn't how we wanted to play,'ť Staley said.

Staley brought Champ because her usual dog-sitters were attending the tournament. Event founder and director Lea Miller-Tooley, who brought her own English cream golden retriever Hudson, helped work through the Bahamian Ministry of Agriculture for approval.

'œIt's Dawn's baby. I understand how important that dog is,'ť Miller-Tooley said. 'œSo there was no way I was not going to have that dog travel down here.'ť

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More AP women's college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley and her dog Champ pose for a photo, Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 in Paradise Island, Bahamas. Dawn Staley brought more than her top-ranked South Carolina team to the inaugural women's Battle 4 Atlantis. Her best pal -- 4-year-old dog Champ -- is alongside her as she walks the resort with fans recognizing him by name, in the locker room and even at news conferences. The only place Champ hasn't joined Staley is on the sidelines during the tournament, where the Gamecocks play No. 2 Connecticut for Monday's championship. (AP Photo/Aaron Beard) The Associated Press

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