Dawn Staley has sued Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk for his comments about the South Carolina women's head coach after a game between the teams last month.
After Missouri lost 64-54 to the Gamecocks in South Carolina's Colonial Life Arena last month, Sterk told a Columbia, Mo., radio station that fans "spit on" Missouri players and called them the "N-word."
Sterk blamed Staley, saying, "I mean it was not a good environment and unfortunately I think, Coach Staley promoted that kind of atmosphere, and it’s unfortunate that she felt she had to do that."
According to USA Today, Staley filed a defamation suit Thursday in Richland (S.C.) County, seeking $75,000 in damages. The suit claims Sterk's comments were "made with actual malice and with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard for the truth." It also references his refusal to retract his initial statement in an interview two days later as part of the reason for the suit.
An investigation by Gamecocks officials found no evidence such behavior had taken place during the game, a heated affair that included a benches-clearing melee and the ejection of two Tigers players.
Staley's attorney told USA Today in a statement that Sterk not only slandered Staley, but South Carolina fans as well.
"After Mr. Sterk’s refusal to retract and apologize for his false and defamatory statements, Coach Staley was left with no choice but to respond to his attack on her character, reputation and integrity by holding him accountable for his disappointing and false statement," the statement read. "Mr. Sterk not only slandered Coach Staley but the Gamecock fan base as well, and she will not let him destroy in one day the sterling reputation she has spent a lifetime building."
Staley, a member of the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame and a seven-time WNBA All-Star, guided the Gamecocks to the NCAA championship in 2017.
