The awards keep coming for South Carolina women’s basketball. Having already received several honors from the SEC’s coaches and The Associated Press, head coach Dawn Staley was named the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Region 3 Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year, while also filling three out of the five player entries on the WBCA All-Region Team.
Now in her seventh season coaching the Gamecocks, Staley has guided South Carolina (32-2) to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the second straight year. The Gamecocks also won both the SEC regular-season and conference tournament championship.
As for individual players, senior forward Aleigsha Welch, junior guard Tiffany Mitchell and freshman guard/forward A’ja Wilson all earned a spot on the WBCA All-Region 3 Team.
Wilson, a Hopkins, South Carolina native, has already developed a reputation as one of the Gamecocks’ most skilled players despite this being her first year playing at the college level. Though she coming off the bench, Wilson ranks tenth in the SEC in points per game (13.3) and averages 6.8 rebounds as she was named SEC Freshman of the Year. Wilson is also second in the SEC in blocked shots
Welch, one of Staley’s must trusted leaders, brings several things to the table, some of which aren’t measurable by statistics. Welch’s hustle, poise and veteranship help bring a calming effect to the court, but she’s also very talented. Welch averages 9.3 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per contest and her 57.6 shooting percentage is the highest on South Carolina. Welch was also named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the SEC Tournament MVP earlier this season.
Mitchell’s spot on the WBCA’s team is hardly a surprise, considering the accolades she’s received in the past. Mitchell is the back-to-back SEC Player of the Year and she’s one of four players to be a finalist for the Naismith Trophy. Mitchell ranks seventh in the SEC in points per game (14.2) and she’s been one of the Gamecocks most consistent scorers, putting up double-figures in 28 of South Carolina’s 34 games this season.
Tennessee senior center Isabelle Harrison and LSU junior guard Danielle Ballard were also named WBCA All-Region 3 Team.
The WBCA’s 10-member All-America Team will be announced on Saturday, April 4.
South Carolina continues NCAA tournament play when facing fourth-seeded North Carolina on Friday at 7 p.m. in Greensboro, North Carolina in the Sweet 16. North Carolina defeated South Carolina two times last season and the winner between the Gamecocks and Tar Heels will advance to the Elite Eight.