Boston Named Honda Sport Award Winner for Basketball
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina junior Aliyah Boston was named the Honda Sport Award winner for Basketball, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) Chris Voelz announced today. She becomes the second Gamecock all-time to win the honor, matching the 2018 recognition of A’ja Wilson.
“What Aliyah has done this season has been incredible to watch, and it has proven that she is truly a generational player,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said. “You don’t often see great players elevate their game before your eyes, and that’s what she has done year after year of her college career. She was the most consistent dominant force in college women’s basketball, despite the defensive schemes designed to stop her and the target on her back and our team every time we stepped on the floor.”
The unanimous national player of the year was also the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, and Boston won both titles from the SEC as well. A three-time Lisa Leslie Award winner, the Gamecocks’ leading scorer (16.8 ppg) led the nation with 30 double-doubles this season, including an SEC-record 27 straight to become just the third player in NCAA Div. I women’s basketball history with a streak at least that long. Her 12.5 rebounds per game were fourth in the nation.
In the Gamecocks’ 14 games against ranked opponents, including seven against top-10 foes, Boston poured in 18.1 points per game and grabbed 13.9 rebounds per outing. In just her second NCAA Tournament, she was named Most Outstanding Player at both the Greensboro Regional and the Final Four after averaging 16.8 points and 15.2 rebounds in the tournament, during which she also led the team in assists.
In the classroom, Boston also excels as a mass communications major. The combination of her 3.738 grade point average and on-court accolades have earned her CoSIDA Women’s Basketball Academic All-America of the Year in each of the last two seasons.
“After watching the hard work and dedication Aliyah has shown throughout the season, it is most fitting that she end the season winning the prestigious Honda Sport Award,” said Maria Hickman, South Carolina Executive Associate AD/Senior Woman Administrator. “We are extremely proud of her accomplishments in all areas of representing our university.”
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 46 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. The winner of the sport award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2022 Honda Cup, which will be presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on June 27th at 9 pm EST.
The CWSA, entering its 46th year, has honored the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for their superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service. Since commencing its partnership in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women’s athletics programs.
Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for the most up-to-date information on the women’s basketball season.
