Staley, Cardoso, South Carolina WBB pull in 8 SEC postseason awards
The SEC announced its 2023-24 award winners Tuesday, and South Carolina took home eight honors.
Dawn Staley won SEC Coach of the Year for the seventh time in her career and third year in a row. Kamilla Cardoso won the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year honor.
Cardoso was also named to the SEC All-Defensive and All-SEC First teams, while three Gamecocks earned Second Team bids: Te-Hina Paopao, Raven Johnson and Ashlyn Watkins. MiLaysia Fulwiley was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team as well.
Watkins was believed to be a Sixth Woman of the Year favorite, but that honor went to Florida’s Leilani Correa. Staley said at her press conference Friday that she didn’t start Watkins at Arkansas to make sure Watkins would remain eligible for the award, which requires a player to start one third or fewer of her team’s games.
Correa averaged 17.9 points on 44.1% shooting 4.1 rebounds rebound per game. She also racked up 50 assists, 38 steals and 13 blocks. Watkins averaged 10 points on 58.9% shooting and 7.2 rebounds per game. She also had 35 assists, 36 steals and 70 blocks (tied for 15th in the nation).
List of 2023-24 SEC Awards
All-SEC First Team
Sarah Ashlee Barker, Alabama
Honesty Scott-Grayson, Auburn
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Angel Reese, LSU
Marquesha Davis, Ole Miss
Madison Scott, Ole Miss
Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina
Rickea Jackson, Tennessee
All-SEC Second Team
Aaliyah Nye, Alabama
Leilani Correa, Florida
Javyn Nicholson, Georgia
Flau’jae Johnson, LSU
Jessika Carter, Mississippi State
Jerkaila Jordan, Mississippi State
Raven Johnson, South Carolina
Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina
Ashlyn Watkins, South Carolina
Iyana Moore, Vanderbilt
All- Freshman Team
Essence Cody, Alabama
Taliah Scott, Arkansas
Laila Reynolds, Florida
Aalyah Del Rosario, LSU
Mikaylah Williams, LSU
Grace Slaughter, Missouri
MiLaysia Fulwiley, South Carolina
Khamil Pierre, Vanderbilt
All-Defensive Team
Angel Reese, LSU
Madison Scott, Ole Miss
Mama Dembele, Missouri
Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina
Jordyn Cambridge, Vanderbilt
Coach of the Year: Dawn Staley, South Carolina
Player of the Year: Angel Reese, LSU
Defensive Player of the Year: Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina
Sixth Woman of the Year: Leilani Correa, Florida
Scholarship Athlete of the Year: Mama Dembele, Missouri
Freshman of the Year: Mikaylah Williams, LSU
This story was originally published March 5, 2024 at 10:11 AM.
