April 5, 2015

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina junior guard Tiffany Mitchell captured her first national player of the year honor today when The Phoenix Club of Philadelphia named her the winner of The Dawn Staley Award for 2015. Established in 2013, the award recognizes the nation’s best guard in Women’s Division I college basketball as defined by the skills that Staley possessed throughout her career – ball handling, scoring, ability to distribute the basketball and will to win.

“It is a true pleasure to recognize Tiffany with The Dawn Staley Award,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said. “I have a distinct bias in working with her every day, but make no mistake about how deserving she is of this award. Tiffany exemplifies the what, the why and the how to establish herself as one of the best women’s basketball players in the country.”

The two-time SEC Player of the Year, Mitchell impacts the game well beyond her team-high 14.5 points per game. She is the only woman to play the full 2014-15 season ranked among the SEC’s top 15 in scoring (6th), assists (10th, 2.9 apg) and steals (11th, 1.8 spg). Her scoring efficiency is among the best in the nation, ranking 50th in field goal percentage (.501) and 46th in free throw percentage (.838). Mitchell delivers when the spotlight is brightest, earning a spot on the NCAA Greensboro Region All-Tournament team after pouring in 19.5 points and 5.0 assists per game over the two victories that put the Gamecocks into their first NCAA Final Four. She netted the last seven of her 21 points against No. 7/7 Florida State in the final five minutes to deliver the comeback victory. It was just the latest example of her competitive fire, which makes her South Carolina’s go-to option in tight-game situations, averaging 3.6 points in the last five minutes of games that are within six points during that stretch. The number is more than double the next Gamecock on the list and includes 3-of-4 accuracy from 3-point range and 16-of-19 (.842) efficiency from the free throw line.

While announced as the winner today, Mitchell will receive her award at a ceremony on Fri., April 17, at the prestigious Union League of Philadelphia.

The No. 3/4 Gamecocks are set to tip off against No. 2/2 Notre Dame in the national semifinals at 6:30 p.m. (ET) tonight in Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.