Gamecocks tabbed as 2021 SEC Women's Basketball champs

Birmingham, Ala. - South Carolina is predicted to win the 2021 Southeastern Conference women's basketball championship in a vote of the league's coaches.

The Gamecocks feature three returning starters from last season's SEC Regular-Season and Tournament Champion. They were voted Associated Press preseason No. 1 and now sit for the 11th-straight week in that position after ending the abbreviated 2019-20 season in that position.

Nearly 70 percent of last season's team's scoring and more than 65 percent of its rebounding is back for 2020-21.

South Carolina tops the order of finish, with Kentucky, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Tennessee and LSU rounding out the top half the league. Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Ole Miss, Florida, Vanderbilt and Auburn round out the bottom half.

The Wildcat's Rhyne Howard was voted as SEC Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year. South Carolina's Aliyah Boston also received votes.

Joining Howard and Boston on the All-SEC Preseason First Team are Chelsea Dungee, Arkansas; Unique Thompson, Auburn; Khayla Pointer, LSU; Rickea Jackson, Mississippi State; Rennia Davis, Tennessee; and N'dea Jones, Texas A&M.

The Preseason Second Team All-SEC is comprised of Jasmine Walker, Alabama; Destiny Slocum, Arkansas; Lavender Briggs, Florida; Shakira Austin, Ole Miss; Jessika Carter, Mississippi State; Aijha Blackwell, Missouri; Zia Cooke, South Carolina; and Kayla Wells, Texas A&M.

Coaches cannot vote for their own team or players and ties are not broken.

The 2021 season officially tips on Wednesday, November 25.

Preseason Coaches' Predictions

Order of Finish

1. South Carolina

2. Kentucky

3. Texas A&M

4. Arkansas

5. Mississippi State

6. Tennessee

7. LSU

8. Alabama

9. Georgia

10. Missouri

11. Ole Miss

12. Florida

13. Vanderbilt

14. Auburn

Player of the Year

Rhyne Howard, Kentucky

First Team All-SEC

Chelsea Dungee, Arkansas

Unique Thompson, Auburn

Rhyne Howard, Kentucky

Khayla Pointer, LSU

Rickea Jackson, Mississippi State

Aliyah Boston, South Carolina

Rennia Davis, Tennessee

N'dea Jones, Texas A&M

Second Team All-SEC

Jasmine Walker, Alabama

Destiny Slocum, Arkansas

Lavender Briggs, Florida

Shakira Austin, Ole Miss

Jessika Carter, Mississippi State

Aijha Blackwell, Missouri

Zia Cooke, South Carolina

Kayla Wells, Texas A&M