Cooke Named to Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior Zia Cooke is one of 20 candidates named to the 2023 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today. In its sixth year, the award recognizes the top shooting guard in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.

A finalist for this award in 2021, Cooke is a two-time All-America and All-SEC selection who was part of the NCAA Women’s Final Four All-Tournament Team in each of her last two seasons. The dynamic scorer has reached double-figure points 74 times in her 100 career games, including 14 games of at least 20 points. In 2021-22, she was third on the team in points and assists.

A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates, and college basketball fans are encouraged to participate in the Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds starting Fri., Oct. 21. In late January, the watch list of 20 players will be narrowed to 10 and then to just five in late February. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Ms. Meyers Drysdale and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee where the winner will be selected.

The winner of the 2023 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Women’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award, the Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award, the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award and the Lisa Leslie Center Award, in addition to the Men’s Starting Five.

South Carolina will host an exhibition game against Benedict on Mon., Oct. 31, prior to officially opening the 2022-23 season on Mon., Nov. 7, against ETSU at Colonial Life Arena.

Fans interested in buying season tickets for the Gamecocks’ 2022-23 season can find more information at https://thegamecockclub.com/wbb/ or by calling the South Carolina Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-4SC-FANS (472-3267). Single-game ticket information will be announced at a later date.

Stay tuned to GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for more information on the 2022-23 season ahead.

2023 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Candidates
Ja’Mee Asberry, Baylor
Leigha Brown, Michigan
Jakia Brown-Turner, NC State
Zia Cooke, South Carolina
Azzi Fudd, UConn
Jordan Horston, Tennessee
Charlisse Leger-Walker, Washington State
Jade Lovill, Arizona
Taylor Mikesell, Ohio State
Diamond Miller, Maryland
Sonya Morris, Texas
Charisma Osborne, UCLA
Ashley Owusu, Virginia Tech
Taylor Robertson, Oklahoma
Sara Scalia, Indiana
Jaz Shelly, Nebraska
Cameron Swartz, Georgia Tech
Celeste Taylor, Duke
Elena Tsineke, South Florida