Gamecock basketball great Tiffany Mitchell to have jersey retired this season
South Carolina will retire former women’s basketball standout Tiffany Mitchell’s jersey this season, the school announced Wednesday.
It is the second jersey retirement announcement this week. USC also announced it would retire football player Alshon Jeffrey’s jersey.
Mitchell will have her No. 25 jersey enshrined in the rafters before the Gamecocks’ game against Maryland on Nov. 12. She is the fourth women’s basketball player to have her jersey retired, and first who played for coach Dawn Staley.
“I’m completely honored, humbled and blessed knowing that the University wants to retire my jersey,” Mitchell said in a school release. “Being a part of the foundation and trusting the process with Coach Staley when I was in high school and knowing that I’m laying that foundation for the players after me means a lot to me.
“The University means a lot to me and definitely has changed my life for the better. Thank you so much to the coaching staff and all the coaches that I’ve had, all the teammates that I’ve had along the way and, of course, Gamecock Nation, for supporting me for those four years and even after I graduated as a professional. You guys are the best, and I’m so happy that I’ll be able to see my name in the rafters.”
Mitchell was a two-time all Southeastern Conference Player of the Year selection and member of the Gamecocks’ first Final Four team in 2015.
Mitchell was just the fourth Gamecock to earn All-America status three times and the first to do it since South Carolina joined the SEC. She was the leading scorer on South Carolina’s first SEC regular-season championship team in 2014.
Mitchell is one of three Gamecocks to finish her career with at least 1,500 points, 300 assists and 200 steals, and remains the only addition to that group since 1996. Her 1,885 career points rank seventh in program history.
“Retired jerseys may seem cliché for some, but for me, they showcase players of our program who have demonstrated excellence on and off the court,” South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley said. “It shows the legacy they contributed to women’s basketball and women’s sports. For a player like Tiffany, who believed in Gamecock Women’s Basketball before we ever won a title and bought into the vision from day one, this is incredible. She paved the way for our team to become the best.
“Coaching players like Tiffany is one of my greatest rewards. She’s not just an amazing player; she’s an example of what you can become with the right mindset, commitment and determination. I’m super proud of her then and now.”
Mitchell was a first-round pick by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA Draft and was an all-rookie team selection. She is playing for the Minnesota Lynx and is averaging 7.6 points on 42.4 percent shooting this season.
Mitchell also has played overseas during the WNBA offseason.
How South Carolina retires jerseys
According to USC: “Factors for jersey retirement include postseason national and conference recognition, school record holders, impact on team accomplishments and either graduating from South Carolina or leaving the school in good academic standing.
The current athletics department policy states that the school retire jerseys, not numbers. Athletics department records indicate the current policy has been in place since at least 2007. Numbers retired prior to then will continue to be in a retired state. Current and future student-athletes can wear numbers that were affiliated with jersey retirements after 2007.
Retired jerseys are selected by a committee of representatives from the South Carolina Athletics Department, University Board of Trustees, and the USC Lettermen’s Association.
This story was originally published August 16, 2023 at 1:12 PM.
