Did you know that Beyoncé is a hardcore South Carolina Gamecocks fan? Apparently, she watched and supported the Dawn Staley-coached team all the way through the NCAA Women’s basketball tournament with her family and enjoyed them so much, she sent Staley a bouquet of flowers to commemmorate the team’s historic, undefeated season and championship win. Staley shared “a video thank you” to Beyoncé as she showed off the gift — which included Cowboy Carter merchandise, naturally — and read the card.”If you know, you know,” she said.
To Coach Staley and the entire South Carolina Gamecocks,
Me and my family watched your games and cheered you on through the entire season. I am so proud of you.
All my love,
Beyoncé
LOVE ON TOP!! @Beyonce pic.twitter.com/kmIZlQWG3h
— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) April 17, 2024
Staley also shouted out all the family members, and noted, “I’ve been in the South for 16 years. I’m a little country too.”
The delightful moment is just one in an endless procession of moments that prove that women’s basketball has arrived this year — and one of the few in which a high-profile voice actually congratulated the winners of the tournament, rather than a certain player on the runners-up.
Beyoncé’s bouquets are well known in the music industry; she has sent them to Cowboy Carter collaborators like Mickey Guyton and Jack White and actresses like Sheryl Lee Ralph for her Abbott Elementary Emmy win, but this is first time she’s sent one to an athlete (she gave Serena Williams a special Gatorade commercial in 2022 upon her retirement, unless she got them and didn’t tell us!) or coach.