South Carolina Gamecocks star Aliyah Boston takes home 2 more player of year awards

MINNEAPOLIS — South Carolina junior forward Aliyah Boston won two more major national player of the year awards Thursday, taking home the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Wade Trophy and Associated Press Player of the Year.

Earlier in the week, she became the first player to earn the Naismith Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards.

Additionally, Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley was named coach of the year by the WBCA and Naismith. The AP's coach of the year award was given to LSU's Kim Mulkey.

The 6-foot-5 Boston has been the hallmark of a dominant South Carolina team that has spent the entire season ranked No. 1 in the polls, averaging 16.8 points on 54.2% shooting, 12.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game while also compiling a streak of 27 consecutive double-doubles. She is one of five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award, which will be presented after the season in April.

«Aliyah, I definitely thought she deserved it 100 percent,» South Carolina guard Zia Cooke said Thursday about the Naismith announcement. «Even if she didn't get the award, to us she would have been our Player of the Year. And Coach, she's the GOAT, so I kind of figured she was going to get it. But definitely super excited for both of them.»

Appearing in their second consecutive Final Four and fourth overall, the Gamecocks (33-2) take on fellow one-seed Louisville in the first national semifinal game Friday at 7 p.m. ET. Known for its suffocating defense and dominance on the boards, South Carolina is 12-0 against ranked opponents this season and holds teams to a nation-best 32.7% shooting from the field.

The WBCA also released its list of 10 All-Americans: Boston, Cameron Brink (Stanford), Caitlin Clark (Iowa), Elissa Cunane