Aliyah Boston is up for another collegiate award despite being a WNBA All-Star
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina basketball alum and current WNBA star Aliyah Boston was one of the greatest collegiate players of all-time. The 2021-2022 National Player of the Year was also a two-time National Defensive Player of the Year, the 2019-2020 National Freshman of the Year, a 4-time All-American, a 2-time SEC Player of the Year, and a 4-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year. The list goes on and on.
Since being the first overall pick this summer in the 2023 WNBA Draft, her on-court success has continued. Boston was an All-Star Game starter and was the unanimous WNBA Rookie of the Year after breaking a number of all-time WNBA rookie records.
Because the relatively short WNBA season begins almost immediately after the college season ends, it can be difficult to remember that Boston was wearing a South Carolina basketball jersey just six months ago in April.
Because of that, Aliyah Boston has been nominated for yet another collegiate award, this time for the 2022-2023 academic calendar.
According to a Monday release from gamecocksonline.com, Boston was nominated as one of thirty finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. The award is given annually to any female NCAA athlete who has finished her undergraduate degree (whether she is returning to school or has moved on) and who has distinguished herself in athletics, academics, and the community.
Based on those criteria, Aliyah Boston seems like a natural fit for the award.
In addition to her on-court accomplishments, Boston was the 2022 Collegiate Sport Communicators Academic All-American of the Year, and she won the Women’s Basketball Academic All-American of the Year honor two times.
Boston was active in the Columbia community, working with children and middle school-aged students at basketball camps. She also would return to the Virgin Islands (where she is from) to participate in charitable work.
The winner of this year’s NCAA Woman of the Year award will be announced at a later date.
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