Lamont Paris named AP SEC Coach of the Year – A New Era at the University of South Carolina

Lamont Paris named AP SEC Coach of the Year – A New Era at the University of South Carolina

In a monumental move for the University of South Carolina, head coach Lamont Paris earned the coveted title of the AP SEC Coach of the Year, announced by the Associated Press (AP).

A Historic Achievement for the Gamecocks

This is a historic first for the South Carolina Gamecocks as Paris has become the first ever head coach in the program’s history to receive such prestigious recognition since the team joined SEC in the 1991-92 season.

The team, brilliantly led by Paris and his staff, posted the largest single-season turnaround in its history, achieving a tie for the second place in the SEC and improving their win record by an impressive 14 victories.

A Phenomenal Season

The Gamecocks recorded an astonishing regular season with a total of 25 wins and 6 losses, out of which 13 were SEC victories, making it the second-most in program history. This stellar performance has only been surpassed by the 1996-97 SEC Champion squad that recorded 15 wins to secure the first and only league crown in the history of the Gamecocks.

During the season, South Carolina also tied its road victories record in the SEC. The Gamecocks beautifully maintained their momentum throughout the season, managing to secure a win in seven out of the total SEC games played away from home, which ties with the record set by the 1996-97 team.

Record-Breaking Performances

Cementing their stellar performance, The Gamecocks triumphed against AP Top-25 opponents thrice and on home turf against Kentucky. These top-25 victories have pushed Carolina into the spotlight, placing the team amongst the eighteen teams nationwide that have multiple wins against top-10 ranked teams. This includes a historic away victory against Tennessee.

South Carolina also held the best scoring defense in the SEC this season, limiting opponents to an average of only 66.4 points per game. The team’s defensive prowess held 24 competitors below 70 points this season, the highest number in the SEC and amongst the top five nationwide. Their strong defensive performance continued in SEC play as well, restricting 13 opponents below this point threshold.

Awards and Accolades

South Carolina came back into the top-25 ranking for the first time since 2017 and has remained there for the past six weeks. Their highest rank this season has been 11th, which is the best for the program since the 1997-98 season.

Following are the other notable winners of 2023-24 AP All-SEC Awards:

AP ALL-SEC FIRST TEAM: Antonio Reeves of Kentucky, Mark Sears of Alabama, Dalton Knecht of Tennessee, Johni Broome of Auburn and Tolu Smith of Mississippi State

AP ALL-SEC SECOND TEAM: Wade Taylor IV of Texas A&M, Reed Sheppard of Kentucky, Zakai Ziegler of Tennessee, Jaylin Williams of Auburn and Tyrese Samuel of Florida

Player of the Year: Dalton Knecht, Tennessee

Newcomer of the Year: Dalton Knecht, Tennessee

The victory adds another feather to the cap of University of South Carolina Athletics, contributing a golden chapter to their sports history.

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