In what can be described as a reunion matchup, the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks defeated Bowling Green State by a decisive 31 points, with a final score of 93-62 on Tuesday. The game marked a significant moment for both teams, particularly for Bowling Green State University women's basketball coach Fred Chmiel, who faced his mentor and friend, Dawn Staley, the head coach of South Carolina.
Chmiel, a former assistant coach at South Carolina, had a memorable evening as he welcomed many Gamecocks players he had helped recruit. The game, which drew a record crowd of 4,195, became the largest ever for a Bowling Green State women's basketball game at the arena. Despite the defeat, Chmiel remained upbeat, reflecting on the journey that brought him to his current position and the growth he experienced under Staley's mentorship.
“It's like seeing relatives that you haven't seen in years,” Chmiel said, as reported by Brian Buckey of The Blade. “It's bittersweet because you used to see them every single day. But it's about your journey and it's about coming to the great state of Ohio and about the experience for me of becoming a head coach and moving into that next seat. I'm still growing, but it all started with coach Staley who gave me a shot in Division I women's basketball.”
Dawn Staley praises Fred Chmiel's coaching
The pregame saw a warm embrace between Staley and Chmiel, highlighting the deep respect and affection between the two coaches. Staley praised Chmiel for his intelligence, discipline and energy as a coach, expressing confidence in his success with the Bowling Green program.
“Fred is a great guy. He's a smart coach, disciplined, high-energy, and he's going to do really well here. It's a community that will embrace him and he's going to embrace the community as he probably already has. I know this program is used to winning, and so is he,” Dawn Staley said. “It's a great combination, and I'm super happy for him. I wanted him to have his own program and to make an impact on young people like he made an impact on me because a lot of people don't know that he coached me in the WNBA.”
Despite the loss, Chmiel was proud of his team's showing against a formidable opponent.
“This was a great platform for women's basketball, and I'm sure whoever watched this game appreciated both teams. If you're a fan and you see how hard those young women work, you appreciate that,” Chmiel said. “This fan base kept on cheering and they were still engaged and they saw it all the way through to the end. They are basketball savants, they know what good basketball looks like. They know what great effort looks like.”
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