University of South Carolina women鈥檚 basketball great returns to Columbia
COLUMBIA, S.C. (BVM) — When the Cardinal Newman School girls basketball team takes the floor this winter, they鈥檒l be defending 3A South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) State Champions. They鈥檒l have only lost one senior to graduation, so their young core will get to continue developing together. And despite this group’s already successful tenure, they may have gotten even better this offseason.
The Cardinals have brought aboard Asia Dozier as their new head coach. In the world of women鈥檚 basketball, Dozier is a well-known face, especially in the state of South Carolina. A former member of the Gamecocks, Dozier was a two-time team captain and three-time SEC champion. She was a member of the first USC team to reach the NCAA Final Four, and holds the school record for single-season games played (37).聽
Before her time at the University of South Carolina, she was an elite player at the high school level as well. At Spring Valley High School, she was a two-time state champion, named South Carolina Miss Basketball, Gatorade State Player of the Year and a McDonald鈥檚 All-American nominee. Success has followed her at every level of her basketball career, leading her to landing the head coaching job at Cardinal Newman.聽
But equally as impressive as her ability on the basketball court, Dozier鈥檚 basketball IQ is through the roof, considering her family鈥檚 connection to the game. Her father, Perry, played at USC and is the head boys basketball coach at her former high school. Her uncle, Terry, and brother, PJ, both played at USC as well as in the NBA. PJ is currently a member of the Denver Nuggets. Her whole life, basketball has surrounded her.聽
And during her time at USC, you could see that Dozier wanted to be a coach some day. Via her senior letter addressed to the USC faithful, Dozier self-described her role on the court as being a leader and coach. She said that she wanted to give the younger players a sense of calm while out on the floor.聽
That same senior letter noted that Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley was her inspiration for having that attitude towards the game. Dozier said herself that she 鈥渁bsolutely鈥� wants to be a coach one day, because of the exceptional job that Staley did with her and her teammates.
鈥淲hen you play for a great coach, like Coach Staley, you can鈥檛 help but develop a passion for it. You see her passion, not just in how she was a player, but how she brings that to her coaching techniques,鈥� Dozier wrote in . 鈥淚 want to feed off that and bring that same type of passion and drive into my future coaching career.鈥�
Now after beginning her coaching career at Legion Collegiate Academy in Rock Hill, Dozier will get the chance to head up an elite girls basketball program, right back where it all started in Columbia, S.C. Her legacy to women鈥檚 basketball in the Palmetto State will continue to grow as she coaches up the next generation of great girl hoopers.
