South Carolina Women's Basketball: Lady Gamecocks Clean Up Coaches SEC Awards

The SEC women's basketball coaches awards were announced today, and as should have been expected, South Carolina dominated. The Lady Gamecocks claimed four of the six major awards. Carolina also placed three on the all-conference team, two on the all-defensive team, and one on the all-freshman team:

Coach of the Year: Dawn Staley, South Carolina
Player of the Year: Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Freshman of the Year: Alaina Coates, South Carolina
Co-6th Women of the Year: Alaina Coates, South Carolina / Jennifer O’Neill, Kentucky
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Martha Alwal, Mississippi State / Jordan Jones, Texas A&M
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Lianna Doty, Missouri

2014 All-SEC First Team
Tyrese Tanner, Auburn
Jaterra Bonds, Florida
Theresa Plaisance, LSU
Martha Alwal, Mississippi State
Bri Kulas, Missouri
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Aleighsa Welch, South Carolina
Meighan Simmons, Tennessee
Isabelle Harrison, Tennessee
Courtney Walker, Texas A&M

2014 All-SEC Second Team
Jessica Jackson, Arkansas
Shacobia Barbee, Georgia
Jennifer O’Neill, Kentucky
DeNesha Stallworth, Kentucky
Tia Faleru, Ole Miss
Valencia McFarland, Ole Miss
Alaina Coates, South Carolina
Courtney Williams, Texas A&M
Jasmine Lister, Vanderbilt
Christina Foggie, Vanderbilt

2014 SEC All-Defensive Team
Tyrese Tanner, Auburn
Hasina Muhammad, Auburn
Shacobia Barbee, Georgia
Martha Alwal, Mississippi State
Elem Ibiam, South Carolina
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Jordan Jones, Texas A&M

2014 SEC All-Freshman Team
Ashley Williams, Alabama
Jessica Jackson, Arkansas
Brandy Montgomery, Auburn
Ronni Williams, Florida
Linnae Harper, Kentucky
Raigyne Moncrief, LSU
Breanna Richardson, Mississippi State
Alaina Coates, South Carolina
Andraya Carter, Tennessee

What really grabbed me about some of the more notable achievements here is just how young this Carolina team is. Tiffany Mitchell is just the second sophomore to win player of the year. Alaina Coates is the first freshman in league history to win multiple individual awards. Aleighsa Welch, a first-team selection who was in the running for player of the year, is a junior. Scary to think, but this team will probably be better next year as the current cast gets even better and we bring in a talented class of freshmen, hopefully highlighted by Columbia product and top national recruit A'ja Wilson.