The University of South Carolina Athletics Department held its annual Gamecock Gala on Monday evening at Colonial Life Arena. The event honored the University’s student-athletes for their accomplishments during the 2017-18 campaign. Student-athletes, administrators, coaches and special guests attended the elegant event, which featured a red carpet entrance, heavy hors d’oeuvres and a special awards ceremony with presentations and video features.
The winner of this year’s President’s Award was decorated women’s basketball student-athlete, A’ja Wilson. The program’s all-time leading scorer, she holds eight other career school records and has her name atop the standings in a total of 62 categories in the program record book. And, she capped her career with a clean sweep of every National Player of the Year award that is handed out.
She led her team to a 129-16 record in her four seasons, including a 57-7 mark in SEC action en route to three SEC regular-season championships. The Gamecocks were 44-13 against nationally ranked opponents during her career, won the 2017 National Championship, advanced to their first Final Four in 2015, reached the Elite Eight this season and played in the 2016 Sweet 16. Academically, she has worked through dyslexia to make the Dean’s List twice and post a near-3.0 GPA in mass communications. She also dedicated numerous hours to community outreach during her time in the Garnet and Black.
ALSO SEE: A'ja Wilson reflects on amazing career at South Carolina
A complete list of award winners for the 2018 Gamecock Gala is listed below:
SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Award: Meredith Vay (women’s swimming and diving), Harrison O’Keefe (men’s tennis)
SEC Brad Davis Community Service Award: Jordyn Augustus (softball), Thomas Mayronne (men’s tennis)
New Student-Athletes of the Year: Megan Davies (women’s tennis), Brandonn Almeida (men’s swimming and diving)
Scholar-Athletes of the Year: Megan Overberg (equestrian), Nils Wich-Glasen (men’s swimming and diving)
Community Outreach Team of the Year: Volleyball
Athletes of the Year: A’ja Wilson (women’s basketball), Akram Mahmoud (men’s swimming and diving)
Gamecock Inspiration Award: Will Riggs (men’s swimming and diving)
President’s Award: A’ja Wilson (women’s basketball)
Team MVPs:
Baseball: LT Tolbert
Beach Volleyball: Macie Tendrich, Katie Smith
Women’s Basketball: A’ja Wilson
Men’s Basketball: Chris Silva
Cheerleading: Ashley Steinberger
Carolina Girls Dance Team: Celia Burger
Equestrian: Chloe Schmidt
Football: Skai Moore
Women’s Golf: Ainhoa Olarra
Men’s Golf: Keenan Huskey, Scott Stevens
Women’s Soccer: Dominique Babbitt
Men’s Soccer: William Pyle
Softball: Mackenzie Boesel
Women’s Swimming and Diving: Emma Barksdale
Men’s Swimming and Diving: Fynn Minuth, Tomas Peribonio
Women’s Tennis: Hadley Berg
Men’s Tennis: Gabriel Friedrich
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field (2017 season): Tyler Brockington
Women’s Indoor Track and Field: Rougui Sow
Men’s Outdoor Track and Field (2017 season): Tye Williams
Men’s Indoor Track and Field: Josh Awotunde
Cross Country: Anna Kathyrn Stoddard
Volleyball: Mikayla Shields
FROM USC MEDIA RELATIONS
