South Carolina's Dawn Staley Makes History By Winning Coach of the Year

South Carolina finished the 2019-20 season 32-1 and ranked No. 1 in the AP poll.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley made history on Thursday becoming the first-ever head coach in either men's or women's college basketball to win the Naismith Coach of the Year award after previously winning the Naismith Player of the Year. 

Staley took home player of the year honors in both 1991 and 1992, when she starred as a guard for Virginia.

"It is truly an honor to receive the Naismith National Coach of the Year, and, while I'm the one receiving the award, every head coach knows you cannot be a good coach without great assistants, great support staff, and great players," Staley said in a statement. "So, this award is every bit as much theirs as it is mine."

South Carolina finished the 2019-20 season 32-1 and ranked No. 1 in the AP poll. Their 10 weeks atop the AP poll were the most of any team this season.

Gamecocks guard Tyasha Harris is among the finalist for the Wooden Award and forward Aliyah Boston was named Division I freshman of the year by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

In 12 seasons with South Carolina, Staley's Gamecocks have won the 2017 national championship and finished their season in the Final Four once, Elite Eight once and Sweet Sixteen four times.