Jan. 29, 2016

COLUMBIA, S.C – South Carolina senior guard Tiffany Mitchell has been named to the 2016 Dawn Staley Award Watch List, the Phoenix Club of Philadelphia announced on Friday. Mitchell, who won the honor last season and was one of three finalists for it as a sophomore, will vie for the award that recognizes the nation’s best guard in Women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.

The accolade is given to the player who exemplifies the skills that Staley possessed during her career – ball handling, scoring and the ability to pass and lead her team to victory. The winner will be announced during Final Four weekend with the ceremony set to take place at the Union League of Philadelphia in April.

Mitchell leads No. 2/2 South Carolina with 52 assists and is second in scoring at 15.0 points per game this season. She has scored in double figures in 19 of 20 contests. The Charlotte, N.C., native has especially upped her production in SEC play, as she ranks in the top 10 in seven categories among league players. Her 16.1 points per game and 42.9 shooting percentage against conference foes both rank fifth, and her 1.6 3-pointers per game are good for the sixth-highest mark in the league.

The Gamecock guard earned First-Team All-America honors last season and was an All-America Third Team selection in 2014. Mitchell, who was named to the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List on Monday, has landed on the Wooden Award Midseason Top 20 as well as the Naismith Early Season Watch List in her final season at South Carolina.

Mitchell and the Gamecocks defeated Ole Miss, 81-62, on Thursday and will return to action on Sun., Jan. 31, on the road against No. 10/10 Texas A&M at 6 p.m. This weekend’s contest marks the first of three-straight games against ranked opponents for the Gamecocks, who host No. 12/12 Kentucky on Thur., Feb. 4, at 7 p.m. before facing top-ranked Connecticut at Colonial Life Arena on Mon., Feb. 8, at 7 p.m.

2016 Dawn Staley Award Watch List
Rachel Banham, Minnesota
Madison Cable, Notre Dame
Jordin Canada, UCLA
Kahleah Copper, Rutgers
Makayla Epps, Kentucky
Moriah Jefferson, Connecticut
Alexis Jones, Baylor
Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State
Tiffany Mitchell, South Carolina
Brandy Montgomery, Auburn
Adrienne Motley, Miami
Jada Payne, East Carolina
Alexis Peterson, Syracuse
Kelsey Plum, Washington
Aerial Powers, Michigan State
Tyler Scaife, Rutgers
Courtney Walker, Texas A&M
Courtney Williams, South Florida