Farrow was living the SoCal dream, coaching under Lindsay Gottlieb at Cal and USC for half a decade, plus a pit stop at Vandy. Then, outta nowhere: 803 pops up on his phone. South Carolina calling. I mean, what do you even do? Let it go to voicemail? Not a chance.
“I got a call from Coach Staley. I got a call from an 803 number. I’ve never had that,” Farrow joked to South Carolina Sideline. “When you have the opportunity to work with the best of the very best, you have to listen.”
Yeah, you do.
Jumping Ship… But for a Yacht
Let’s be honest, leaving USC ain’t exactly the easiest decision. Farrow called Gottlieb not just a boss, but a mentor and friend. Still, when South Carolina’s dynasty comes knocking, you answer. That’s just common sense.
“You look at the tradition of winning at the highest level, and the fact that so many of her assistants have gone on to be head coaches, it’s important for young coaches like myself,” he said, probably pinching himself the whole time.
And talk about filling big shoes. Farrow’s stepping in for Winston Gandy, who’s off to run his own show at Grand Canyon University. Plot twist: South Carolina’s opening game? Against Gandy’s new crew on November 3. You can’t make this stuff up.
Dawn Staley: The Yoda of Coaches
Staley’s not just coaching players—she’s building an empire. Her “coaching tree” is wild. Fred Chmiel, another Staley alum, is now running things at Bowling Green, and South Carolina faces them right after Grand Canyon. Coincidence? Not even close. That’s the Staley effect.
She even shouted out both guys on WACH Fox 57, saying their success just proves how high the bar is in Columbia. Honestly, she’s not wrong.
That First Phone Call
Farrow’s first chat with Staley was a trip.
“She said, ‘Hey Dale, I’m looking to hire an assistant. I like to hire really good people. You’re on my shortlist, and I’d like to talk,’” he remembered.
Was he playing hard to get? Maybe a little. USC was deep in March Madness, so he didn’t say yes right away. But when he finally made it to Columbia? Game over.
“I was overwhelmed by the love from the student-athletes. The energy, the culture—it’s different here,” he said.
Translation: One visit and the guy was sold.
“We Struck Gold”
When the Gamecocks dropped the news, Staley was basically doing cartwheels.
“We struck gold with Wendale,” she said in the team’s press release. “He brings the right mix of experience, personality, and passion to help us chase another championship.”
No pressure, right? Farrow’s got sky-high expectations on his shoulders, but also a chance to be part of a legit dynasty.
And honestly? He’s not sweating it.
“I knew that if I could just have one more person in my toolbox—someone like Coach Staley—it would help me go forward,” Farrow said. “I had to try that out.”
In a college hoops world that changes faster than your Instagram feed, Farrow joining South Carolina women’s basketball coaching staff might be the most low-key genius move of the whole offseason. Buckle up, Columbia.
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