Beal Named to Cheryl Miller Award Watch List

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina sophomore Brea Beal was named to the Cheryl Miller Award Watch List, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today. Named after the three-time Naismith Player of the Year and Class of 1995 Hall of Famer, the annual award in its fourth season recognizes the top small forward in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
 
Beal established herself as the ideal utility player as a freshman – locking down an opponent’s top scorer, crashing the glass and adding her own scoring punch when needed. She grabbed double-digit rebounds in two of the first three games of her career, becoming the first Gamecock freshman to post back-to-back double-digit rebounds games since A’ja Wilson in 2014-15. With a quickly building reputation as a lockdown defender, Beal was often undervalued as an offensive weapon on a team crowded with them. She scored in double figures six times but also often scored at critical moments in games. She capped her freshman season with her first career double-double (12 pts/11 rebs) in the SEC Tournament championship game as the Gamecocks completed their sweep of the regular-season and tournament titles in 2019-20. A starter in every game of the season, her 33 starts gave her a share of the program’s freshman record for games started.
 
College basketball fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. In early February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2021 Cheryl Miller Award will be narrowed to just 10. In early March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Miller and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee.
 
The winner of the 2021 Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award will be presented on Fri., Apr. 9, 2021, along with the other four members of the Women’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award, the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award, the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award, and the Lisa Leslie Center Award, in addition to the Men’s Starting Five.
 
The Gamecocks are slated to open the 2020-21 season on Wed., Nov. 25, at Colonial Life Arena against College Charleston. Non-conference tipoff times and the SEC schedule will be announced soon.
 
Stay tuned to GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for more information on the 2020-21 season ahead.
 
 
2021 Cheryl Miller Award Candidates