As the women’s college basketball regular season nears its conclusion, the spotlight is shifting from standings to résumés — and few are stronger than that of .
With No. 3 sitting at 27-2 overall and 13-1 in SEC play, the Gamecocks are positioned to claim the SEC regular-season title outright with a win over Missouri. They’re also projected as a No. 1 seed in ESPN’s latest NCAA Tournament bracketology. Team success has been the foundation — but individual recognition is quickly following.
Joyce Edwards and Ta’Niya Latson are on late-season watchlists for the Wooden Award. Madina Okot is a Top 10 finalist for the Lisa Leslie Award, while Raven Johnson is a Top 10 finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award. Yet as conference honors approach, the most compelling case might belong on the sideline.
Staley’s Case: Excellence Amid Attrition
Staley has already claimed SEC Coach of the Year honors seven times (2014–16, 2020, 2022–24). The question in 2026 isn’t whether she’s qualified — it’s whether voters are willing to reward sustained excellence once again.
“I think Dawn is in that rare air that certain coaches get to where you could make the case that they’re their league’s best coach every season,” longtime ESPN women’s basketball writer told The State. “She’s just been able to do that for so long. People sometimes take it for granted or they are always looking for sometimes a reason not to give it to somebody who’s gotten it before.”
That sentiment may define this race.
South Carolina’s 2026 campaign has been anything but smooth. The Gamecocks lost Te-Hina Paopao, Bree Hall and Sania Feagin to the WNBA Draft. The transfer portal delivered another blow when MiLaysia Fulwiley departed for LSU. Then All-SEC forward Ashlyn Watkins opted to step away from basketball before the season. Just weeks prior to tipoff, Chloe Kitts suffered an ACL injury.
And the adversity didn’t stop there. Injuries and illnesses have forced multiple lineup adjustments throughout the year. Only Edwards and Johnson have appeared in every game. Okot, Tessa Johnson, Latson, Maddy McDaniel, Adhel Tac and Agot Makeer have all missed time.
Yet South Carolina hasn’t just survived — it has dominated.
The Gamecocks have eight ranked wins, nine Quad 1 victories (tied for second nationally), and rank among the nation’s best statistically:
- No. 3 in scoring offense (87.3 ppg)
- No. 3 in field goal percentage (51.2%)
- No. 14 in scoring defense (56 ppg)
- No. 3 in scoring margin (+31.3)
SEC Network analyst didn’t hesitate when naming her Coach of the Year pick.
“Dawn has done a tremendous job this year,” Sorensen said. “…In the year that this league has [had], it’s pretty incredible.”
Voepel echoed that assessment.
“I think you could say the job she’s done this year with the injuries that she had — coming back from another Final Four appearances, there’s no guarantee you’re going to be able to do that again — and in the league like this, definitely makes her a candidate,” Voepel told The State. “That’s just something she’s been able to, with her success over the years, be qualified for, virtually every season.”
The analytical case is straightforward: sustained elite performance despite roster turnover and recurring injuries. That combination typically defines Coach of the Year winners.
The Main Challenger: Shea Ralph’s Resurgence
If this race has drama, it’s because of .
Ralph has orchestrated one of the most dramatic program turnarounds in the SEC at . After nearly a decade of mediocrity — just one winning season from 2014 to 2023 — Vanderbilt now sits at 25-3 (11-3 SEC) and No. 5 in the AP Top 25.
The Commodores opened the season 20-0 before falling to South Carolina. They’ve since earned marquee wins over Texas and LSU and are in position for a No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament. Vanderbilt is also in the conversation for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament — a feat the program hasn’t achieved since 2002.
Voepel sees this as the defining variable.
“I think this year, when you look at what Vanderbilt’s been able to do, how they’re positioning themselves, they’ve had a season that is pretty historic. Especially contextually with their program,” Voepel said. “It’s been a long, long time since they’ve been in a Final Four – 1993. And a lot of times that tends to catch voters’ eyes when it comes to voting for Coach of the Year. Both in conferences and nationally. I would say overall, (Ralph and Staley) are the two top candidates.”
Even Staley has publicly acknowledged Ralph’s work.
“Shea’s done a great job,” Staley said before facing Vanderbilt in January. “You could almost see it coming, even though they were losing. You have to create this culture and this ability to believe, right? You get your players, they’re all on that same page. Belief. You feel good about what you’re doing. You create these habits, and you just play them.”
That mutual respect underscores the contrast in narratives:
- Staley = sustained dynasty-level excellence amid adversity.
- Ralph = transformational turnaround restoring a proud program.
Historically, voters often lean toward the “new story.” That may be Staley’s biggest obstacle.
Is This Staley’s Best Coaching Job?
When asked whether this season represents her finest work, Staley declined to self-evaluate.
“I don’t know if it’s our best, that’s for you all to judge,” Staley said. “I think we do what we need to do with who we have. I think our approach has been the same. I don’t think we change who we are according to who we have healthy. We don’t ever do that. We just figure out a way.”
That philosophy — adaptability without identity change — may be the essence of her case.
Voepel believes the broader perception issue mirrors what has faced at .
“It’s a really good coaching job. You know what it is – it’s been an underrated, great coaching job,” Voepel said. “Dawn has the same, I guess you would say issue sometimes that Geno Auriemma has at Connecticut where she’s gotten to the point where everybody expects them to be good every year, almost like it just happens. And it really doesn’t.”
That may ultimately define this award race.
If voters prioritize historical context and turnaround impact, Ralph has a compelling case. If they weigh roster attrition, injury adversity and continued dominance in the nation’s toughest conference, Staley’s résumé may be impossible to overlook.
Either way, the SEC Coach of the Year race in 2026 is less about whether Dawn Staley is elite — that’s long established — and more about whether excellence should be rewarded again when it’s become the standard.
