First off hardware retailers are missing a huge NIL opportunity with Aliyah Boston. The ads write themselves, her trophy case just keeps expanding and needed fortification. Boston, "When I need the right lumbar...etc." Come on Ace. Boston picked up yet another award last month when she won the Honda Cup. The Honda Cup goes to the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. Some priors winners include Katie Ledecky, Missy Franklin, Breanna Stewart, current Russian prisoner facing phony charges Brittany Griner, Cheryl Miller, Jackie Joyner, and one Dawn Staley.

Last month associate head coach Lisa Boyer and assistant coaches Fred Chmiel and Jolette Law all received raises from the Board of Trustees. Dawn Staley also brought Mary Wooley, who left Carolina after 2020 for an on-court assistant position at Villanova, back to the staff as director of recruiting and strategy and added Tracy Murphy as assistant director of operations.

Ariana Moore moved into the director of basketball operations position following the departure of Cynthia Jordan, who was named an assistant coach at Florida. Dianne Palmer is now the special assistant to Dawn Staley.

It was announced that the annual UConn game will be played in Connecticut on Sunday, February 5, 2023. South Carolina and Oregon also announced a home and home series to begin this season. No further details on where the teams will play this upcoming season or when.

South Carolina's top point guard target for 2023, Milaysia Fulwiley from Keenan, took an unofficial visit last week. I think the Gamecocks will be tough to beat for the hometown product.

We don't talk a ton of men's soccer on here but they recently announced they are on the move. Oklahoma and Texas moving to the SEC had ripple effects throughout college sports reaching as far as the Gamecock Men's Soccer team. After the Big12 raided the AAC, the AAC raided Conference USA. After competing in Conference USA since 2005, the South Carolina men's soccer team will join the Sun Belt Conference which is reviving men’s soccer this upcoming school year.

South Carolina is one of three schools along with Kentucky and West Virginia that will be in the league only for men's soccer. They’ll join existing Sun Belt schools Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, and Georgia State and new members James Madison, Marshall, and Old Dominion to form a nine-team league for soccer. Obviously, the SEC does not have men's soccer.

The Gamecocks also announced their home schedule, featuring matches with defending National Champion Clemson, Upstate, Winthrop, Campbell, Queens, GA Southern, Marshall the 2020 National Champions, James Madison, and Kentucky.

It was worth mentioning that former Gamecock Francisco Cerundolo qualified for Wimbledon and won a set against a guy you may have heard of, Rafael Nadal. Obviously, Nadal won the match, but winning a set against Rafa on Centre Court is an accomplishment. Cerundolo was joined at the All England Club by fellow Gamecock alum Paul Jubb. Jubb lost to ATP #40 Nick Kyrgios in 5 sets.

South Carolina track & field student-athletes Rachel Glenn and Jayla Jamison, along with former Gamecocks Josh Awotunde and Wadeline Jonathas, will represent Team USA at upcoming World Championship events. Glenn will compete in the high jump and Jamison also be part of Team USA’s 4x100m relay pool after finishing fourth at the distance, with a time of 11.17 in the final.