The LadyLike Foundation honored South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley and Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation CEO Nichol Whiteman at their 15th annual Women of Excellence Awards luncheon.
The Ladylike Foundation teaches professional and personal development to youth by providing workshops, seminars, and field trips. The non-profit organization was started in 2007 by Leah Cher Pump.
“They have been doing this work for 15 years to uplift young ladies in underrepresented communities who need the support and the tools and the skills to be able to change their life trajectory,” Whiteman said. “It’s very synonymous with the work of the Dodgers Foundation and the work that we want to support.”
The honor comes in the wake of South Carolina having a 38-0 record and winning the 2024 NCAA national championship. That marks the third national title that the Gamecocks have won with Staley at the helm. She is a four-time Naismith Coach of the Year and a two-time AP National Coach of the Year.
Related Stories
LA84 Foundation Celebrates 1984 Summer Olympics with Gala Reception
Student Athlete of the Week: Lauryn Williams
Staley is also a three-time Olympic gold medalist as a player; she was the flag bearer for Team USA in the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. She also won a gold medal as a coach for Team USA women’s basketball in the 2020 Tokyo Games.
“The uncommon favor that God has given me throughout my entire career, you couldn’t write a better script,” Staley said. “I grew up in the church … those rooms have created what I am today, a faithful woman, a woman that prays.”
Whiteman led LADF to winning an ESPY for Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year in 2020. LADF focuses on promoting healthcare and education while battling homelessness. By staying true to those principles, Whiteman has earned the 2020 Visionary Award presented by Southern California Leadership Network, the National Medical Fellowship Leadership in Philanthropy Award and the MOSTe Motivating Our Students Through Leadership Experience 2020 Lantern Award.
The Women of Excellence Awards was a star-studded event; several celebrities, including Tina Knowles, Cookie Johnson, Angela White, and Cedric the Entertainer, were in attendance. LaTanya Jackson, who has been a previous honoree, is a champion of the LadyLike Foundation.
“Leah Pump, her husband Dana (Pump) have always been … the vanguard of making sure that young girls get a proper education and that they are seen,” Jackson said. “We are supporting our community and our community moves the world.”
The LadyLike Foundation offers a myriad of classes, from college prep to etiquette. One of their more notable events is LadyLike Day at UCLA. Along with classes, the LadyLike Foundation offers scholarships and even sponsors young girls in Ghana who attend boarding school.
The Women of Excellence luncheon included a musical performance by Erica Campbell, a silent auction, a fashion show and dance performances.
“It’s incredible to be in a room full of women where it feels like this is the type of energy that you can carry with you for the rest of the week,” said ESPN broadcaster Malika Andrews. “Women who are this accomplished who look like me is just incredible.”
