For the first time since 2013, NCAA has a Women's basketball Champion that is not named UConn. 2017 marked the year of South Carolina, as they took home Women's basketball's top prize by easily dispatching Mississippi State 67-55 in the tournament final. For South Carolina, this was their first championship game in program history. The Gamecocks made the most of their only trip (so far) to the Championship game, coming away victorious, and now owning a perfect record in NCAA title games. But basketball didn't always come easy for South Carolina before current head coach Dawn Staley arrived. Prior to Staley, the Gamecocks were under the tutelage of Susan Walvius, who had gone 165-160 in her 11 seasons in South Carolina.
Dawn Staley completely revitalized the South Carolina basketball program, leading to the team's three best records in the last four seasons. Since she began her coaching career at South Carolina in 2008, she has amassed a 221-80 record. This is a winning percentage of just a bit over 73%. In the past 3 seasons, The Gamecocks were 100-9, coming in at a 91% winning percentage, which is insane. In 2014, the Gamecock's only other Final Four appearance, Dawn Staley was named the NCAAW coach of the year.
The Gamecocks will surely come into the next season with high expectations, as they will only be losing 2 players this year to graduation or the WNBA Draft. They are returning star player A'ja Wilson, who won the 2017 NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player award.
They certainly have a lot to look forward to, but more importantly, a lot to celebrate now. That is why the University of South Carolina Women's basketball team is our Women Crushed Wednesday!
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