South Carolina's MiLaysia Fulwiley Made Star-Studded Dawn Staley Award Finalist List

South Carolina Gamecocks guard MiLaysia Fulwiley is in elite company for an award that's named after her head coach.

Mar 2, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard MiLaysia Fulwiley (12) makes a no-look pass against the Kentucky Wildcats in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Despite her role off of the bench this season, South Carolina Gamecocks star sophomore MiLaysia Fulwiley has continued to build upon the hype she amassed during her fantastic rookie campaign.

While Fulwiley might be best known for her flashiness when on the court (which has caused her to go viral several times), her performances have also become much more consistent and well-rounded this season, which is proven by her averaging 12 points per game, 41.5% shooting from the field headed into the 2025 NCAA Tournament, and being named SEC Sixth Woman of the Year and to the All-SEC Second Team.

And on Friday, it was announced that Fulwiley is one of four finalists for the NCAA's Dawn Staley Award, which, "recognizes the NCAA Div. I women’s basketball player who exemplifies the skills that Staley possessed throughout her career – ball-handling, scoring, ability to distribute the basketball and the will to win."

Out here doing her big one this season – congrats @MilaysiaF!https://t.co/jYM8Ahdh2n pic.twitter.com/upBq7auX0U

— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) March 14, 2025

While there's no question that Fulwiley is extremely deserving of this prestigious award (which is of course named after her head coach), she has some fierce competition among the other finalists, who are UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish sophomore Hannah Hidalgo, and USC Trojans superstar JuJu Watkins.

Whichever one of these four elite players ends up earning the award will get to say they did so over three of women's college basketball's best.

Then again, all of them would surely take a NCAA National Championship trophy — which Fulwiley secured with the Gamecocks last season — over any individual award, regardless of how prestigious it may be.