Dawn Staley, head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team, is not married to associate head coach Lisa Boyer. The two have worked together since 2008, but rumors of a romantic relationship remain unconfirmed and denied by the facts.
Who Are Dawn Staley and Lisa Boyer?
Dawn Staley, born May 4, 1970, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a former professional basketball player and current head coach. She attended Murrell Dobbins Vocational High School and later the University of Virginia, graduating with a degree in Rhetoric and Communication Studies. Staley was named ACC Female Athlete of the Year in 1991 and 1992 and retired from playing in 2006.
Lisa Boyer, born in Ogdensburg, New York, graduated from Ithaca College in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in Science. She later earned a master's in Education from North Carolina-Greensboro in 1982. Boyer made history as the first woman to work with an NBA team as part of the coaching staff, serving as assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2001 to 2002. Prior to that, she was head coach of the Bradley Braves from 1986 to 1996.
Is Dawn Staley Married to Lisa Boyer?
No, Dawn Staley is not married to Lisa Boyer. In 2018, rumors spread after Staley posted a now-deleted tweet celebrating ten years of working together. The tweet, reported by MSN, read: "Boyer!! We are that old married couple who started young and will grow old together. You put the ride and die in the RIDE and DIE! Proud of you Boyer. Thanks for sacrificing your career to help to me serve our teams, program, university and state. What a ride?!"
Lisa Boyer responded: "What Dawnnie?!?! 10 years!!! Went by in a blink. Laughs, tears, joys, disappointments, heartaches, and victories, BUT always shoulder to shoulder. Been a ton of fun so let’s get this next 10 started!!! #ualreadyknow #loyalisnameofgame."
Fans speculated the two were in a romantic relationship, but the messages celebrated a decade of professional collaboration. Neither Staley nor Boyer has confirmed or denied the rumors, and Staley has never been married.
Their Work Relationship
Staley and Boyer first worked together at Temple University from 2002 to 2003. In an interview, Boyer said: "We loved our days at Temple, and I’m not taking anything away from Temple. But we needed something bigger." They joined the South Carolina Gamecocks in May 2008, with Staley as head coach and Boyer as assistant head coach, a title she received in 2010.
Staley has credited Boyer for her success, stating: "When I want to not think about basketball, she’s always thinking about basketball. I know I would not have been as successful without her expertise, her tirelessness, her — I mean, she thinks about every single thing."
The two remain colleagues, with Staley referring to Boyer as her "ride-or-die" in a professional context. Staley, now 56 years old, continues to lead the Gamecocks, while Boyer serves as associate head coach.
