Olivia Gaines, a former South Carolina player under Dawn Staley, is headed to Allen University to become the head coach of their women's basketball program. Gaines will literally be down the street from her former head coach, as Allen and the University of South Carolina rest within a 10-minute drive of each other.

“Allen has been a dream job for a long time, and I am looking forward to continuing my career in my home state,” Gaines said “I would like to thank our Director of Athletics Jasher Cox and President Dr. McNealy for believing in me as they are leading Allen University in the right direction. The culture is there but winning consistently has been the missing piece and that will soon change. I am overwhelmed with joy but prepared for the job.”

Before arriving at South Carolina, Gaines made a name for herself at Louisburg (NC), where she won a JUCO national championship. She then left to play for Staley, helping the Gamecocks to an SEC regular season title in 2014 and an SEC Tournament title the next season. That same year, South Carolina made their way to the Final Four.

Since her days at South Carolina, Gaines has held a multitude of coaching positions. Most recently, she was an assistant at Livingstone College. She's been a head coach at Richard Bland College and USC Salkehatchie, which is also in South Carolina.

“Coach Gaines is the perfect match for our university, its student-athletes, and I am delighted to welcome her back to Columbia,” said Allen's Athletic Director Jasher Cox. “We were highly impressed by her success in revitalizing programs at previous institutions and her consistent ability to recruit and nurture exceptional talent. Additionally, her remarkable achievement as a two-time SEC Champion and National Champion will undoubtedly inspire our young women to strive for excellence in the years to come.”