ESPN names A’ja Wilson National Player of the Year

South Carolina senior forward A’ja Wilson was named espnW Women’s Basketball Player of the Year, the organization announced today on its website. Picked as its preseason player of the year as well, Wilson has now collected to national player of the year honors as USA TODAY Sports began the series last week.

The league’s first three-time SEC Player of the Year, Wilson has been a presence on the national stage every year of her Gamecock career. A four-time All-American and SEC First-Team selection – the first in South Carolina history – she has turned in her most dominant stats in her final campaign for the Garnet and Black.

The SEC’s leading scorer, Wilson is eighth in the nation with 22.6 points per game, which includes 21.3 points per game in 13 games against ranked opponents this season. She has scored in double figures in 28 of her 29 games this season, highlighted by 18 20-point outings. She is 11th in the country in rebounding at 11.8 per game, and comes in fifth in blocks per game (3.2, 5th). Wilson is the only player in the nation to rank among the top 40 of all three categories.

Wilson is the Gamecocks’ all-time leading scorer and completed her career undefeated in the SEC Tournament as South Carolina became the first program to win four consecutive titles at the event. She was named SEC Tournament MVP for the second time in as many seasons, averaging 20.3 points and 10.3 rebounds in just 26.3 minutes per game off the bench for South Carolina after spending the week prior to the tournament out of action due to vertigo.

The Gamecocks now await their seeding in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The bracket for that event will be released on Mon., March 12.

espnW Basketball Awards

Player of the Year

A’ja Wilson, South Carolina

Coach of the Year

Muffet McGraw, Notre Dame

Freshman of the Year

Chennedy Carter, Texas A&M

USC Athletics contributed to the writing of this article.