Dawn Staley Expresses SEC Awards Shock Amid 'South Carolina Fatigue'

South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley revealed why she was "shocked" about her team's SEC Awards recognition.

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley gives directions as her team plays Alabama Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

During a February 11 episode of The Carolina Calls Show (two days after her team lost to the Texas Longhorns) South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley expressed frustration about how the women's college basketball world reacts when her team comes up short.

"Any time we lose, it elevates everybody else. When we win, it's par for the course. That's part of it. Like, I think there is some South Carolina fatigue around, around women's basketball. But I mean, I'm okay with it," Staley said on the show, per an X post from The State Newspaper's Michael Sauls.

Dawn Staley on the loss: "Any time we lose, it elevates everybody else. When we win, it's par for the course. That's part of it. Like, I think there is some South Carolina fatigue around, around women's basketball. But I mean, I'm okay with it."

— Michael Sauls (@mcsauls) February 11, 2025

Fast forward a few weeks and the Gamecocks had five players recognized when the annual SEC Awards were announced on March 4.

The Gamecocks' award winners were MiLaysia Fulwiley getting SEC Sixth Woman of the Year and All-SEC Second Team recognition, Te-Hina Paopao was also an All-SEC Second Team honoree, freshman Joyce Edwards made both the All-SEC First Team and the SEC All-Freshman team, and Raven Johnson and Sania Feagin were included on the SEC All-Defensive Team.

The SEC's head coaches vote for these various awards. And when Staley spoke with the media after her team's practice on March 5, she showed surprise about the love these coaches showed her program.

"I'm pretty happy that... a lot of our kids got recognition," Staley said of the SEC Awards, per an X post from Matt Dowell. "I was quite shocked at, shocked, because when we've had our best teams, we weren't in the number in that regard.

"So kudos to the coaches who voted for our players, even when there's a little South Carolina fatigue," she added.

MiLaysia Fulwiley is the reigning SEC Tournament MVP. I asked Dawn Staley how she's grown over the last year.

"She's a processer. She's a Taurus so she's a little stubborn. She's a lot competitive. She is 'don't tell her no' 'cause she's gonna prove you wrong."@GamecockWBB pic.twitter.com/8dIfp827yi

— Matt Dowell (@MattDowellTV) March 5, 2025

Staley seemingly isn't taking this award recognition to mean her peers and opponents have woken up from this supposed "South Carolina fatigue".