South Carolina women's basketball voted to finish No. 2 in SEC preseason poll behind LSU
COLUMBIA — South Carolina women's basketball was voted to finish second in the SEC preseason media poll behind reigning national champion LSU.
South Carolina, which came in at No. 4 in the preseason USA TODAY coaches' poll, has been the preseason favorite to win the SEC every year since 2018, but the No. 1 Tigers were a nearly unanimous No. 1 after adding star transfers Haley Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow to an already-elite roster.
Center Kamilla Cardoso was the team's lone first-team All-SEC selection in the preseason poll. The 6-foot-7 senior was the SEC Sixth Woman of the Year in 2022-23 and averaged 9.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. She also earned All-SEC second team honors and an All-American honorable mention nod.
In 2022-23, South Carolina completed the first undefeated regular season in program history and swept the SEC regular season and tournament championships. The team reached a third consecutive Final Four before suffering its lone loss of the season to 2-seed Iowa and Caitlin Clark in the semifinals.
The Gamecocks graduated seven seniors, including its entire starting lineup. Three were selected in the first round of the 2023 WNBA Draft, and No. 1 overall pick Aliyah Boston became the third South Carolina alumna to win WNBA Rookie of the Year since 2017.
Preseason SEC order of finish
LSU
South Carolina
Mississippi State
Georgia
Auburn
Vanderbilt
Preseason SEC Player of the Year
Angel Reese, LSU
Preseason All-SEC First Team
Flau'jae Johnson, LSU
Angel Reese, LSU
Hailey Van Lith, LSU
Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina
Rickea Jackson, Tennessee
Preseason All-SEC Second Team
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Madison Scott, Ole Miss
Jessika Carter, Mississippi State
Jewel Spear, Tennessee
Aicha Coulibaly, Texas A&M
Jordyn Cambridge, Vanderbilt
Follow South Carolina women's basketball reporter Emily Adams on X @eaadams6 and subscribe to The Greenville News for exclusive Gamecocks content: https://subscribe.greenvilleonline.com/offers.
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This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina women's basketball voted No. 2 in SEC preseason poll
