Dawn Staley disciple and former South Carolina Gamecocks guard Olivia Gaines has been relieved of her duties as head coach at HBCU Allen University. Per her agent, it is an abrupt end to a highly successful two-year tenure.
Success at Allen University
Gaines made an immediate impact at the Columbia, SC-HBCU. She compiled a 36–19 overall record and went 29–14 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).
In 2024–2025, the Yellow Jackets won 18 games. That set a Division II era program record. The team also finished second in the SIAC East, the highest mark in school history.
The following season, Allen went 18–10 overall and 16–8 in conference play. The program also held the best overall record among all sports at the university during this stretch.
Hiring and Background
Gaines was hired ahead of the 2024–2025 season by Director of Athletics Jasher Cox. She described Allen as her “dream job” and was eager to return to South Carolina.
She joined the program after a season at Georgia Southern. Prior to that, she led Richard Bland College to a 29–3 record and an NJCAA Division II National Runner-Up finish.
Gaines also coached at USC Salkehatchie. She earned Region 10 Coach of the Year honors and led the team to a 20–2 record in 2020–21. Her coaching résumé includes stops at Vassar College and Northwestern Oklahoma State University, along with several high school programs in South Carolina.
Played for Dawn Staley
Gaines helped guide the program to major individual milestones. Taliah Wesley became the first SIAC Player of the Year in school history in 2025.
Eboni Clay was named Freshman of the Year. This also marked a first for the program.
Recruiting and Player Development
Gaines built a strong pipeline of talent. Auzhane Allard and Jasmine Norman earned JUCO All-American honors.
Morgan Smith led the SIAC in steals. DeNariyah Williams added to the program’s list of top performers.
Notably, Allen is the only SIAC program without full scholarship funding. Gaines still elevated the program despite that challenge.
Playing Career and Roots
Before coaching, Gaines was a standout player at University of South Carolina. She played under Hall of Fame coach Dawn Staley and helped the Gamecocks win SEC titles and reach the 2015 Final Four.
She began her college career at Louisburg College. In 2013, she was named NJCAA National Player of the Year and led her team to a national championship.
Program Impact and Departure
Despite consistent success and historic milestones, Allen University has chosen to move in a different direction.
Gaines leaves behind one of the most impactful coaching tenures in the history of this HBCU program.