A political crossfire is unfolding in the Middle East among the US, Israel, and Iran, bringing life to a standstill. Three South Carolina Alumnae are stranded in the war zone, which prompted Dawn Staley to make an urgent appeal on her X account, drawing attention to the situation.

“Please pray for our @GamecockWBB @TiffMitch25 @2121Mikiah @dstnylttltn24 who are in a war zone in Israel!! We are working a plan to get home. Let us pray for our loved ones to return home safely asap! Thank you in advance,” Staley had posted.

The three players in question are Tiffany Mitchell, one of the most decorated players in Gamecocks history; Mikiah “Kiki” Herbert Harrigan, a key figure in the 2017 NCAA Championship team; and Destiny Littleton, who helped the team win the 2022 NCAA championship.

Mitchell plays for the Seattle Storm currently, and Harrigan currently suits up for Elitzur Ramla in Israel’s Women’s Basketball Premier League. So three players with different career trajectories, but all share the same link in common – South Carolina.

The players, in turn, reposted Dawn Staley’s message showing their appreciation to the coach for checking in on them. Destiny Littleton also shared about the current situation with her post.

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“Update: it’s currently 10 pm, and we have been siren-free and boom sound-free for the last couple of hours. I’m praying it continues this way,” Littleton posted on her X handle.

Allegedly, the US and Israel have launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, igniting military tensions in the Middle East, which has been on the brink of a conflict for several weeks. Israel said the US-led operation, called Epic Fury, had launched pre-emptive strikes. US President Donald Trump confirmed a “major combat operation” as explosions were heard in several parts of Iran.

Tehran, too, didn’t hold back and has promised a “crushing” response to the US-led strikes attacking US bases all across the Middle East, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan. Naturally, the airspaces in the majority of Middle-Eastern countries have been shut down, and citizens have been warned to avoid unnecessary movement.

Naturally, Dawn Staley is worried about the safety of her students. Staley is known for being a leader who takes responsibility for her players, whether they are on the team or out, and that is what got her into rare company, as she was recently awarded an honorary degree.

Dawn Staley To Get Honorary Degree From Smith College

Dawn Staley has been invincible for South Carolina this season, leaving her indelible mark across all the metrics, and now her performance over the boards has gotten her the deserved attention yet again.

Smith College announced it will award honorary degrees to three distinguished leaders whose careers have reshaped early childhood education, elevated women’s athletics, and advanced global feminist scholarship, and Coach Staley has found herself among the proud recipients.

The Hall of Fame player, Olympian, and championship University of South Carolina coach will find herself joining Chizuko Ueno, a pioneering sociologist and feminist theorist, and Carol Hilman, environmental steward and global early childhood education leader.

Staley’s contribution to basketball and her transformation in rebuilding the Gamecocks from scratch have changed the whole landscape in Columbia. A Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and Olympian, Staley has set a benchmark that her successors will have to live upto when she is done with her responsibilities.

The influence she holds goes well beyond the hardwood, and her voice certainly has an impact.