NCAA tried to stop Dawn Staley’s halftime autograph line, USC coach says
South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley believes it’s “only right” for her and other prominent figures in the sport to give back to the game and make fans feel appreciated.
But she said she experienced an NCAA roadblock trying to accomplish that Saturday.
Staley’s No. 1 seeded Gamecocks beat Oklahoma in a Sweet 16 game at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Saturday afternoon. During the TCU-Virginia game that immediately followed South Carolina-OU, Staley came out onto the floor and started signing autographs and taking pictures during halftime.
Staley said this is something she’s done for years in similar SEC and NCAA Tournament settings when USC plays an early game. While her assistant coaches sit and scout USC’s next opponent, she’ll find an open area and sign autographs and take selfies with fans for as long as reasonably possible.
Staley also signs autographs and takes photos during NCAA open practices.
South Carolina’s staff takes great care in arranging those autograph lines, which can often stretch dozens of fans deep and take up walkway space. In game settings, Staley said she also only signs autographs during halftime so the lines aren’t blocking anyone’s views.
On Saturday at Golden 1 Center, Staley said some “really nice” arena workers joined South Carolina’s staff and helped keep an autograph line moving. But, as Staley revealed Sunday, the NCAA tried to shut the effort down.
“They (arena staff) started helping to organize it, and then some gentleman came over and he’s like, ‘Stop, we’re not doing this,’” Staley said. “I was like, ‘Well, why?’ And he said, ‘Because the NCAA people told us to stop it.’”
Staley then made a confused expression from the podium, mimicking her reaction to the NCAA’s request. She said after an event staffer told her the NCAA wanted the line to stop, she politely said “Excuse me,” reached around and continued signing fans’ items, including jerseys.
“I’m going to keep going, because this is the way you grow the game,” said Staley, who’s often gone viral for her acts of kindness and generosity toward visiting teams and fans during March Madness and other settings.
An NCAA spokesman provided The State with the following statement Sunday: “Protecting participating teams and fans at NCAA championships is of the utmost importance. The NCAA and venue security work together to ensure a safe championship atmosphere.”
Staley: ‘I’m going to keep going’
A video posted by CBS Sports’ Isabel Gonzalez on Saturday night showed a large line of fans waiting in a lower-bowl stairwell to get autographs and photos from Staley. Staley’s autograph line was especially popular that night as her alma mater, Virginia, was one of the teams playing and lots of UVA fans had traveled.
A second video by Gonzalez shows an even larger line for Staley autographs 10 minutes later, nearly stretching to the top of the staircase in the lower bowl of Golden 1 Center. Staley signed autographs and took pictures for the majority of the TCU-Virginia game’s 15-minute halftime break.
“They did say something about a fire hazard,” Staley said. “But we’ve done this before. We do this at the SEC Tournament. We have our staff members keeping everything organized in a way that is safe for the fans to come get autographs and then exit out – like, real organized.”
Staley added of her Saturday autograph session: “I know people that were sitting around the line of people couldn’t really see the court at halftime. So I just did it during halftime.”
Staley brought up the NCAA’s request to stop her autograph line unprompted during a larger answer to a question about why she thinks it’s important to give back to fans in her pre-Elite Eight news conference Sunday.
South Carolina plays No. 3 TCU on Monday night (9 p.m., ESPN), with the winner advancing to the 2026 Final Four in Phoenix, Arizona.
Earlier this week in Sacramento, Staley and her players praised South Carolina fans (who they call “FAMs”) for committing their time and money to travel cross-country and support the Gamecocks in California. She also highlighted elevated NCAA Tournament ticket prices and travel costs.
“Our game has grown,” Staley said. “People want more access to us. I think it’s only right for us to give back to the game. … You didn’t ask me for all of that, but I enjoy giving back.”
This story was originally published March 29, 2026 at 2:11 PM with the headline "NCAA tried to stop Dawn Staley’s halftime autograph line, USC coach says."
