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Boston Takes Top Div. I Academic All-America Honor
Women's Basketball  . 

Boston Takes Top Div. I Academic All-America Honor

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s basketball junior Aliyah Boston was named 2021-22 CoSIDA Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for Division I, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The honor caps a season in which numerous organizations have recognized Boston as the best at her position, in her sport, in women’s sports and across all sports.

“It means so much to win this award because growing up I always learned that it’s books before ball,” Boston said. “So, to a representative of that, it’s really special. And, I’m pretty sure my  parents are going to love it.”

Boston is the University’s first Academic All-America Team Member of the Year, which she grabbed after repeating as the Women’s Basketball Academic All-American of the Year. Earlier this month she was also named the University’s first winner of the Honda Cup, which honors the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. Boston was also the SEC Roy F. Kramer SEC Female Athlete of the Year.

Within her sport, the St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., native was the unanimous National Player of the Year and the NCAA Women’s Final Four Most Outstanding Player after leading the Gamecocks to the 2022 National Championship. She was also the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, making her the first player male or female to win both Naismith honors. She won both SEC Player of the Year and SEC Defensive Player of the Year recognition.

“Aliyah is an incredibly gifted and focused woman raised by parents who instilled in her great character, faith and an appreciation for the value of education,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said. “It is great to see her add yet another new first at our university with this award, and I know she won’t stop there. She’s got a few things she’d like to mark as a ‘repeat’ next year, I’m sure.”

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.

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.

She became the Gamecocks’ fifth-fastest player to reach 1,000 rebounds (92 games) and also reached 1,000 career points this season. In the program career record book, Boston ranks fourth in total rebounds, third in offensive rebounds, third in defensive rebounds, second in double-doubles and second in blocked shots. This season she set program single-season records for total rebounds, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds and double-doubles.

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 program.