Dawn Staley names new Sports Performance Coach

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley announced today that Molly Binetti has joined the Gamecock program as its sports performance coach. Binetti brings five years of experience as a full-time NCAA Div. I sports performance coach to the women’s basketball team.

“Molly’s passion for women’s basketball was clear right off the bat, and that’s the kind of energy we like in our program,” Staley said. “Her experience with basketball and other sports gives her great perspective, and her research background shows her commitment to her craft. We are excited to get started with her this week.”

Binetti comes to Columbia after four seasons at the University of Louisville working with the Cardinals’ volleyball, softball and women’s tennis programs. She spent the first three of those seasons as the secondary sports performance coach for women’s basketball as well. Prior to her tenure at Louisville, Binetti served as the sports performance coach for Purdue’s women’s tennis, men’s and women’s diving and cheerleading teams (2013-14).

“I couldn’t be more thankful to Coach Staley for the opportunity to get back to a basketball setting,” Binetti said. “I’ve always known that I wanted to work with basketball, and the chance to do it with one of the best coaches in women’s college basketball and a program that has had such success was a no brainer. I felt such a comfort with the staff and student-athletes from the minute I stepped on campus, and I look forward to helping this team prepare as champions on and off the court.”

The Eau Claire, Wis., native has her Strength and Conditioning Coach certification from the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association and is listed as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She has contributed to two articles published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, both focused on women’s basketball athletes.

After earning her bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology from Marquette in 2012, Binetti completed her master’s in kinesiology and exercise science at Minnesota in 2013.

Story by: USC Athletics