Boston Named Finalist for NCAA Woman of the Year
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina alumna Aliyah Boston was named to the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year Award Top 30, the organization announced today. The award recognizes female student-athletes who have completed their undergraduate studies and distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics and in academics throughout their college careers.
Boston closed her Gamecock career as the most decorated player in program history as the 2022 Div. I Honda Collegiate Athlete of the Year, the 2022 National Player of the Year, two-time Naismith Defensive Player of the Year and 2020 National Freshman of the Year. The four-time All-American picked up first-team honors three times in her career. Boston was the SEC Player of the Year twice and the league’s Defensive Player of the Year all four seasons in her career. She was also the first four-time winner of the Lisa Leslie Award, which recognizes the top center in the country. Boston led the Gamecocks to three NCAA Final Fours, including the 2022 National Champion season, and paced the program to three SEC regular-season titles and three SEC Tournament crowns.
In the classroom, Boston also rose above the crowd as the 2022 Collegiate Sports Communicators Academic All-American of the Year – the top honor across all sports and both genders – and she was twice named the organization’s Women’s Basketball Academic All-American of the Year. She graduated magna cum laude in May 2023 with a degree in mass communications.
Boston used her visibility as a student-athlete to help the community as well, especially in her hometown of St. Thomas. In addition to her work in Columbia middled schools and youth camps, she hosted a girls basketball camp in St. Thomas and provided apparel and shoes to every varsity gils basketball player in the public schools on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for the most up-to-date information on South Carolina women’s basketball.
2023 NCAA Woman of the Year Award Top 30
Vanessa Aniteye, Seattle Pacific, Track/Field
Peyton Barnes, Fairmont St., Acrobatics/Tumbling
Hannah Beatus, Grand Valley St., Softball
Aliyah Boston, South Carolina, Basketball
Kendis Butler, Penn St. Harrisburg, Basketball
Ann Carozza, West Chester (Pa.), Swim/Dive
Camryn DeBose, New Haven, Basketball
Anjali Devireddy, Johns Hopkins, Tennis
Callie Dickinson, Georgia, Swim/Dive
Audrey Ernst, Arizona St., Triathlon
Logan Eggleston, Texas, Volleyball
Grace Forbes, Rice, Track/Field
Divonne Franklin, Penn. Western, Track/Field
Kristen Hayden, Indiana, Swim/Dive
Sophie Jaques, Ohio State, Ice Hockey
Amanda Montplaisir, Minnesota St., Track/Field
Elise Morris, Middlebury, Soccer
Tess Muneses, Washington & Lee, Field Hockey
Birgen Nelson, Gustavus Adolphus, Track/Field
Kristen Palmer, MIT, Fencing
Charlotte, Richards, Mo.-St. Louis, Volleyball
Karson MacKenzie Saunders, Union, Softball
Jill Schmitmeyer, Findlay, Golf
Delaney Schnell, Arizona, Swim/Dive
Myah Selland, South Dakota St., Basketball
Ellie Shahbo, Harvard, Field Hockey
Sophia Glory Slovensky, Sthrn Maine, Track/Field
Annika urban, Emory, Track/Field
Anika Washburn, Case Western Reserve, Soccer
Madi Wulfekotter, Central Missouri, Track/Field
