From the Bench to the Spotlight: Sania Feagin’s Journey to All-SEC Success
Dawn Staley came close to benching Sania Feagin earlier this season. But instead of removing her from the starting lineup, Staley gave Feagin a chance—one the senior forward didn’t take lightly.
“It fueled my fire,” Feagin admitted. Now, with March Madness approaching, she’s proving why she belongs among South Carolina’s starters. With career-best stats and All-SEC honors, Feagin has become a key piece of the Gamecocks’ championship aspirations.
A Journey of Patience and Growth
Feagin arrived at South Carolina as a McDonald’s All-American and the No. 4 recruit in the Class of 2021, but earning playing time wasn’t easy. She spent her first two seasons behind future WNBA draft picks like Aliyah Boston, Laeticia Amihere, Victoria Saxton, and Kamilla Cardoso. Despite limited minutes, Feagin embraced her role, playing in 31 games as a freshman and 27 as a sophomore, increasing her playing time from 4.3 to 7.9 minutes per game.
By her junior year, Feagin was a key bench player for South Carolina’s third national championship run, averaging 6.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 15 minutes per game. Reflecting on that time, she credited her growth to learning from the veterans.
“Just reading them, just learning from them and understanding that it’s OK to make mistakes,” Feagin told The State. “Just keep playing the game you want to play and just be dominant.”
This season, Feagin has started all 33 games, setting career highs with 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game.
Breaking Through in a Big Way
Her breakout performance came in a key early-season game against Texas, where she finished with nine points, eight rebounds, and a career-high six blocks. It was exactly what Staley had been waiting to see.
“She’s just giving it up on both sides of the basketball,” Staley said. “Once a player has a breakthrough of just not putting obstacles in front of them, they just have the breakthrough. … When you have someone that has sat for as long as she sat and is playing as well as she played, that is it. That’s what we were trying to get from Feagin for three years.”
Her efforts were recognized when she was named to the All-SEC Defensive Team alongside teammate Raven Johnson.
“I like it because, I don’t know if you guys remember, but I went from not really playing because of my defense to being on the All-SEC Defense team,” Feagin said. “I take that in because it’s a good accomplishment.”
Earning Respect and Leading by Example
Adhel Tac, Feagin’s teammate, has watched her transformation firsthand.
“Watching Sania’s journey, she wasn’t always a starter,” Tac said. “But she came in, learned her role, played her role, and through that, she’s blossomed into an amazing player, an amazing teammate, an amazing person.”
Feagin carried that momentum into the SEC Tournament, averaging 12.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and one block per game during South Carolina’s third-straight SEC title run. Her performance earned her a spot on the All-SEC Tournament Team—a recognition she never expected.
As ESPN’s Holly Rowe announced the all-tournament team names during the trophy celebration, Feagin was shocked to hear her name called.
“It was just more validation for me,” she said.
Tac believes Feagin’s impact goes beyond stats.
“I feel like a lot of things she does go unnoticed because her game isn’t super flashy or loud,” Tac said. “Sania’s the kind of player you want on your team, not just as a leader, but as a player. She’s like the heart of our locker room, and she’s a very big voice.”
From nearly losing her starting role to becoming one of the most impactful players on the Gamecocks’ roster, Sania Feagin has proved she belongs—and she’s not done yet.
