Since arriving at South Carolina in 2008, Dawn Staley has transformed the program by leading the Gamecocks to five Final Fours and a chance at their third national championship this weekend in Dallas.
Led by a group full of former five-star prospects and MaxPreps All-Americans, the Gamecocks have a perfect 36-0 record heading into their game Friday against Caitlin Clark and a 30-6 Iowa squad.
Since five-star MaxPreps All-American Aliyah Boston stepped onto campus in Columbia in 2019, she has been nearly unbeatable. South Carolina went 32-1 during her freshman year before the season was canceled due to COVID-19. During her sophomore year the Gamecocks went to the Final Four and last season they won the national championship.
Boston is one of 12 five-star prospects on the team and one of seven former MaxPreps All-Americans. Read on for a breakdown of each player's impressive prep resume.
Former MaxPreps National Player of the Year Raven Johnson is one of 12 former five-star prospects playing for South Carolina. (Photo: Pete Wright)
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2019 MaxPreps All-American (Honorable mention)
2020 MaxPreps All-American (Fourth team)
2021 MaxPreps National Player of the Year
Aliyah Boston, Worcester Academy (Worcester, Mass.), 2019HoopGurlz/espnW 100: No. 3
2017 MaxPreps All-American (Honorable mention)
2018 MaxPreps All-American (Second team)
2019 MaxPreps All-American (Second team)
Zia Cooke, Rogers (Toledo, Ohio), 2019HoopGurlz/espnW 100: No. 4
2018 MaxPreps All-American (Fifth team)
2019 MaxPreps All-American (Fifth team)
Sania Feagin, Forest Park (Ga.), 2021HoopGurlz/espnW 100: No. 4
2020 MaxPreps All-American (First team)
Kamilla Cardoso, Hamilton Heights Christian (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 2020
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2020 MaxPreps First Team All-American (First team)
Laeticia Amihere, King's Christian Collegiate (Ontario, Canada), 2019HoopGurlz/espnW 100: No. 10
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2017 MaxPreps All-American (Honorable mention)
2018 MaxPreps All-American (Honorable mention)
2019 MaxPreps All-American (Fourth team)
Ashlyn Watkins, Cardinal Newman (Columbia, S.C.), 2022HoopGurlz/espnW 100: No. 12
Bree Hall, Wayne (Huber Heights, Ohio), 2021HoopGurlz/espnW 100: No. 14
2021 MaxPreps All-American (Third team)
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2017 MaxPreps Honorable Mention All-American
Olivia Thompson, Lexington (S.C.), 2019HoopGurlz/espnW 100: NR
