Nov. 9, 2011

COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley announced that Asia Dozier (Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley) and Tiffany Mitchell (Charlotte, N.C./Providence Day) have signed a National Letters of Intent to attend the University and play for the Gamecocks. Both will have four years of eligibility beginning with the 2012-13 academic year.

“Asia Dozier has a great basketball IQ,” Staley said. “She’s able to hit the 3-point shot and is able to get to the basket any time she wants. Her passing game is pretty under-rated when looking at her as a total player. She has a great Gamecock tradition in her family, and we’re looking forward to having her in a Gamecock uniform very soon.”

A 5-foot-11 guard, Dozier is rated a four-star player by ESPN Hoopgurlz and the 34th-best guard in the 2012 class. Averaging 17.1 points and 3.8 assists, she helped Spring Valley to a 29-0 record and the state championship last season. Dozier helped the Lady Vikings to the 2009 state title as well, with her 18.3 points and 3.8 assists per game also delivering Class 4A Player of the Year honors from The State newspaper. She enters her senior season having already collected three all-state selections and an honorable mention spot on the MaxPreps.com All-America squad (2011). Dozier comes from a family of Gamecocks as her father Perry and uncle Terry Dozier played basketball for the Garnet and Black.

“Tiffany Mitchell has always wanted to be a Gamecock and told people very early that she wanted to be a Gamecock,” Staley said. “She’s one who plays hard all the time. She’s a scorer. She’s a basketball junkie. She’s one that will lead by example.”

A 5-foot-10 guard, Mitchell is rated among the top 50 players in the 2012 class by ESPN HoopGurlz and was rated the top player in the state of North Carolina. An all-state selection of both the Associated Press and the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA), she averaged 18.4 points, 6.9 rebounds 4.2 steals and 3.9 assists for the Chargers last season, also winning South Charlotte player of the year honors. Behind her 30-point effort in the championship game, Providence Day collected its second-straight NCISAA state title in 2011, the program’s sixth in the last seven seasons. Mitchell’s Chargers rattled off 21 straight victories in the course of her junior season to finish 24-8 overall. In December 2010, she became just the 11th player in Providence Day history to score 1,000 points. Mitchell participated in USA Basketball trials for both the U16 and U17 teams in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

The duo joins Tiffany Davis (Houston, Texas/Westbury Christian) who also signed with the Gamecocks today.