Latson on Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Top 10
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior Ta’Niya Latson earned a spot on the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Midseason Top 10, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in partnership with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced today. It is the third-straight season she has been on the midseason list for the award that recognizes the top shooting guard in the country.
An AP Preseason All-America selection, Latson is on every national player of the year watch list this season. Ranking 15th in the SEC in scoring 15.2 points per game, she is seventh in field goal percentage, hitting 49.3 percent, including 39.2 percent from 3-point range – both of which are career-high numbers. Her most efficient scoring season of her career includes 1.05 points per possession and 1.18 points per shot attempt.
Latson is among the SEC’s best in a number of other categories as well. Her 3.7 assist per game rank 15th in the league and add another 8.4 points per game to the team, meaning that between her scoring and assists, she has her hands on 26.4 percent of the Gamecocks’ offense. She is fifth in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.24. Her .810 free throw percentage ranks eighth in the league, and her 1.75 steals are 15th.
In mid-March, the Midseason Top 10 list will be narrowed to just five, and in late-March, five finalists will be presented to Meyers Drysdale and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, which will select the winner. The selection committees are composed of top women’s college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in both of the remaining rounds starting on Fri., Feb. 6, at hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.
The winner of the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the four other members of the Women’s Starting Five. Additional Awards being presented include Nancy Lieberman Award (Point Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward), Katrina McClain Award (Power Forward) and Lisa Leslie Award (Center).
No. 3/3 South Carolina hosts two home games this week with Mississippi State coming to Colonial Life Arena on Thu., Feb. 5, and No. 19/17 Tennessee visiting on Sun., Feb. 8.
Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for more information on the program.
2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Midseason Top 10
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Azzi Fudd, UConn
Delaney Gibb, BYU
Flau’Jae Johnson, LSU
Gianna Kneepkens, UCLA
Ta’Niya Latson, South Carolina
Tajianna Roberts, Louisville
Taliah Scott, Baylor
Syla Swords, Michigan
Rachel Ullstrom, Richmond
