Debbie Ryan helps Staley, South Carolina upset Tennessee

Several weeks after the current Virginia coach led the Cavaliers to one victory over Tennessee, the former Virginia coach did her part to deal the Lady Vols another setback.

South Carolina coach and former Cavaliers great Dawn Staley credits a pre-game pep talk Debbie Ryan gave to her players as one of the hidden keys behind the Gamecocks' 64-60 upset of No. 8 Tennessee Thursday in Knoxville.

"We had my college coach Debbie Ryan come talk to our team about everyone believing on one accord, on being on one accord, and anything is possible," Staley told the Associated Press after South Carolina's first victory over Tennessee in 32 years. "I think our team took that to heart."

Earlier this season, the Cavaliers, now led by Joanne Boyle, upended Tennessee 69-64 in overtime at John Paul Jones Arena.

Ticha and Dawn: Simply the best

ODU's Ticha Penicheiro and Virginia's Dawn Staley were voted two of the WNBA's top 15 players of all time, a list that was announced at halftime of Saturday's All-Star game.

Each of the 10 players selected to the All-Decade Team in 2006 made this current list, including Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, Cynthia Cooper, Yolanda Griffith, Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Katie Smith, Staley, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson. The newcomers include honorable mentions from that team, Penicheiro, Diana Taurasi and Teresa Weatherspoon, as well as Becky Hammon and Cappie Pondexter.

RELATED: Penicheiro "humbled" by Top 15 honor

ODU's Nissen, Virginia's Staley get the call from the Hall



Inge Nissen

South Carolina coach and Virginia graduate Dawn Staley and former Old Dominion great Inge Nissen are among the class of 2012 slated for the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. Nissen has spent the last 22 years coaching at Florida International.



Dawn Staley

Staley, a three-time Kodak All-American and two-time ACC and national player of the year, is the only ACC women's player to score more than 2,000 points, 700 rebounds, 700 assists and 400 steals. She led the Cavaliers to three consecutive NCAA Final Fours (1990, 1991, 1992). Her post-college career included three Olympic gold medals and five appearances on the WNBA ALl-Star team.

Nissen helped lead ODU to AIAW championships in 1979 and 1980. She amassed 2,647 points and 1,459 rebounds in her college career. Nissen finished her career at the school's all-time leader in points (2,647) and rebounds (1,459) -- marks that rank her second in the ODU record books today. Her single-game career high of 28 rebounds remains an ODU records as does her 148 free throws made in a single season.

Other members of the class of 2012 are Robin Roberts, Nancy Fahey, Pam McGee and Nikki McCray.

Ticha and Dawn have our WNBA vote

Dawn Staley

Ticha Penicheiro

Vote, vote, vote for Ticha and Dawn -- on the ballot for most influental players of all time in the WNBA.

ODU's Ticha Penicheiro and Virginia's Dawn Staley are two of the 30 nominees on the WNBA ballot, which will be unveiled July 23 at the all-star game.

Voting for the league’s Top 15 Players of all time will be conducted among fans and select national and WNBA-market media, as well as current players and coaches. Fans are encouraged to vote by logging onto WNBA.com, which will highlight each of the 30 nominees, complete with biographical information and a photo gallery.

In case you don't know, current LA Spark Ticha is the league's all-time assist leader (2,417 and counting), which gives her a lead of 800-plus over Sue Bird, in second place. Penicheiro is also the league's all-time leader in steals with 732 and counting and is a four-time all-star.

Current South Carolina coach Staley, who retired in 2006 after amassing more than 2,000 points, ranks third overall in the league in 3-point percentage and is the only player in WNBA history to have started for both the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference all-star teams.

Fans can cast a vote for their Top 15 Players of all time once per day by going online to http://www.wnba.com/top15players starting Thursday at noon ET and ending at midnight on July 14.

The WNBA’s Top 15 Players will be unveiled and honored at the 2011 WNBA All-Star Game, where the San Antonio Silver Stars will host the midseason classic for the first time in franchise history. ABC will nationally broadcast the game on July 23, at 3:30 p.m.