South Carolina recognized by state lawmakers for championship win

The celebration continued Wednesday for the South Carolina women’s basketball team, as the Gamecocks were honored by the South Carolina state legislature.

The team was greeted by celebration in the chamber, which included team chants and the unofficial anthem “Sandstorm” blaring through the House.

With a 64-49 victory over UConn, the team won its second national championship on Sunday.

The Gamecocks are the first team to be honored on the floor of the state House and Senate since the COVID-19 outbreak began in early 2020. While coach Dawn Staley and players did not address the legislature, many lawmakers read resolutions honoring the team and took pictures and selfies with the players and coach.

“Never in the history of this chamber have we seen the welcome this team got this morning,” said House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford, a Democrat from Columbia.

The celebration came as the general assembly put a pause on a critical day of debate. Any bill that does not pass one chamber by the week’s end will need a two-thirds majority vote in order to be taken up before the conclusion of the session next month.