Dawn Staley files defamation lawsuit against Mizzou AD

On Thursday, South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley filed a $75,000 defamation lawsuit against University of Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk.

The lawsuit stems from public comments made by Sterk after the second of two hotly contested games between the Gamecocks and the Tigers. Following the game on January 28, a physical game in which South Carolina won at home, Sterk went on to KTGR radio in Columbia, Mo  and accused Staley of promoting an atmosphere that included the alleged use of the N-word.

“It was really kind of unhealthy, if you will. We had, you know, players spit on and called the ‘N-word,’ and things like that,” he told host Matt Michaels. “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.”

After the claims by Sterk were made, South Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner issued a statement saying the university had investigated the claims and uncovered no confirmed reports of them.

Staley is suing and accusing Sterk of libel/slander. Her lawyer, Butch Bowers, spoke to The State about the case.

“After Mr. Sterk’s refusal to retract his statement and apologize, Coach Staley was left with no alternative but to respond to his false attack on her character and reputation. And so we moved forward with a lawsuit to address the defamatory and slanderous comments Mr. Sterk made about Coach Staley. We’re not going to let him destroy in one day the sterling reputation she spent a lifetime building. Coach Staley is going to be focused on coaching her team and winning games, and my colleagues … and I will be focused on handling the lawsuit.”

Updates on this story will be made as they are made available to us.