So, Dawn Staley rolls into practice this week and, no joke, you can feel the hype. Everyone’s buzzing. The Gamecocks are staring down the 2025–26 season with a major change on the horizon: after almost 20 years repping Under Armour, South Carolina’s about to flip the script and become a full-on Nike school in 2026.
And, yeah, Staley’s not shy about it—she thinks this move is straight-up going to help land more top recruits.
Bye, Under Armour. Hello, Swoosh.
Let’s not forget: Under Armour’s been riding shotgun with South Carolina since 2007. That’s every single one of Staley’s insane achievements—475 wins, nine SEC titles, three national championships (2017, 2022, 2024). The whole package.
And Dawn’s not throwing shade. She actually sounds pretty sentimental about it. “Under Armour was great to us,” she says. “We wore Under Armour when we won three national championships. It’s not about ditching them, we made friends for life.”
But, you know, time to level up. And, honestly, Dawn’s just happy to go back to her roots. “I’ve been a Nike athlete for 30 years,” she cracks. “So yeah, selfishly, I’m good. I can stop spending on designer kicks—got all the Nike I need now.”
New Swag, Who Dis?
The deal? South Carolina’s women’s basketball team is getting the hookup. The contract’s basically rolling out the red carpet: over the next four years, the team’s uniforms are getting a full makeover. Not one, not two—at least FOUR new looks. You know some of these fits are going to be fire.
By 2026–27, get this—they’ll be rocking that “advanced Paris uniform chassis.” Not just some buzzword. That’s the same tech Team USA wore at the Paris Olympics. So, yeah, these jerseys are about to be next-level.
They’ll close out the upcoming season in Under Armour, but the recruits? They already know what’s up. Staley puts it blunt: “I do think it helps recruiting. Kids, honestly, you throw a Nike logo on anything and they’re in. Could be socks, could be jerseys—they love it. And Nike’s gonna do it right for all our teams.”
The A’ja Wilson Flex
Here’s where it gets spicy: “A’ja Wilson Integration.” That’s in the contract. South Carolina’s most famous alum—now a four-time WNBA MVP, just casually—has her own damn shoes. The Nike A’One, and soon, the A’Twos. These kicks are officially part of the deal. Players will be lacing up the same sneakers as the legend herself.
And it’s not just A’ja. Allisha Gray—Gamecock legend, WNBA All-Star, another Nike athlete. Staley’s already plotting how to make these women the face of the brand. “Women’s basketball, we’ve got room to show off our legends,” she says. “Allisha, A’ja—they’re both killing it. Hopefully they’ll get some real love from this.”
The Nike Era Is Here (Well, Almost)
For Gamecock fans, this isn’t just about looking fresh. It’s about clout. Nike is a global flex, and the connection to WNBA stars? That’s a recruiting cheat code. Kids want to be part of something big, and Nike’s got that “it” factor written all over it.
So, while everyone’s gearing up for one last ride in Under Armour, you can bet the future’s already dripping in swooshes.
If Dawn’s right—and, honestly, when is she not?—this Nike deal is the final boss move that’ll keep South Carolina crushing it on the recruiting trail for years.
Nobody’s gonna miss those old uniforms. Sorry, Under Armour.
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