WASHINGTON — It's been a big year for South Carolina women's basketball beyond winning the 2024 national championship.

Coach Dawn Staley has traveled from Paris to Milan, attended the Olympics, taken endless selfies with fans, rung the bell at the New York Stock Exchange, received gifts from Beyoncé, and accepted an award for perseverance on a national TV.

When do you take a moment to appreciate what has occurred since winning the program's third national championship on April 7?

On Tuesday, the Gamecocks attended a ceremony at the White House with President Joe Biden, celebrating the 2024 title win, and for a moment Staley could take a pause. She stood to the right of her players, in front of her assistant coaches, as her team was honored.

"To stand here in the White House, a house that symbolizes hope, unity, and opportunity for all is a moment that is not lost on me," Staley said.

Staley then said it is not lost on her, that it wasn't until 2015 that the state of South Carolina made the decision to remove the Confederate flag from the state capitol building.

"Today my staff, my team, stand here embodying diversity, inclusiveness and unity, my hope is that this moment lands on you, my team, as a powerful reminder of the beauty that comes from unifying for a common goal, and doing things the right way," Staley said.

In 1999, Carolyn Peck became the first Black coach to win a women's Division I national championship when Purdue defeated Duke. Peck cut down the championship game net and gave a piece to Staley, who was weeks shy of getting drafted into the WNBA at the time.

Peck told Staley to pay it forward.

In 2017 after Staley became the second Black coach to win a national championship, she sent a piece of the title game's net to every Black coach in Division I basketball, according to Biden.

"That's your legacy," Biden said of Staley. "It's the legacy of this whole team, who set an example for the next generation."

The 2024 title marked the fifth team in Division I women's basketball history to complete an undefeated season. The game against Iowa and Caitlin Clark, South Carolina's 38th straight win, was viewed by almost 19 million people.

"Everyone watches women's sports now," Biden said.

After the ceremony, Staley roamed the grounds. Staley's three assistant coaches followed her, then with equally large smiles, posed with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Staley appeared as if she was soaking in every moment as South Carolina was honored in the nation's capital for the first time.

Following the event, Staley and the Gamecocks were not made available for questions from the media.

MORE HERE: Why Dawn Staley, South Carolina women's basketball didn't go to White House for 2 other titles

Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Dawn Staley, South Carolina 'legacy' honored by President Biden