COLUMBIA, S.C. — For the second straight year and third time in the last four years, Dawn Staley has been named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Coach of the Year.
Staley has led this year's squad to a 34-0 record and both the SEC Regular-Season and Tournament championships. The Gamecocks have been ranked No. 1 in both national polls every week of the season, just the third program to accomplish that feat.
The current 38-week run at No. 1 in the AP Poll is the second-longest streak in the history of that poll.
This weekend, South Carolina is making its ninth straight appearance in the NCAA Sweet 16. The Gamecocks will face fourth-seeded No. 14/15 UCLA Saturday afternoon in Greenville at 2:00 p.m.
Staley earned career win #400 on Sunday with the victory over USF, a win which sent the Gamecocks to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. She will be shooting for career win #401 Saturday when the Gamecocks face the Bruins in an SEC-Pac12 showdown.
With senior forward Aliyah Boston and guard Zia Cooke, Staley has coached two USBWA All-Americans this season.