COLUMBIA, S.C. — It was a celebration in downtown Columbia Sunday as thousands of fans pour into the city for a parade for the national champion South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball team. If you're unable to attend in person, WLTX has you covered. We're streaming live on all of our digital services, including here on WLTX.com, the WLTX News App, and WLTX's YouTube page. You can also watch it on your TV on the free WLTX+ app that's available on Roku, Amazon Fire, and Apple TV.
It was a beautiful day for the parade, with temperatures in the mid-70s under clear skies. Fans came out early and lined the parade route on both sides of Main Street, some as from far away as Charleston, SC, and the state of Texas.
The parade started a little after 2 p.m. along Main Street in Columbia, in the 1700 block of Main Street, which is the corner of Main and Laurel Streets.
The first entry in the parade was Jack Haynes, a legendary Gamecock fan, in the Gamecock Van, followed by 108 Girls Scouts of South Carolina walking the route. Other entries include Metro City Slingshots -- blasting 'Sandstorm,' a rallying song for the Gamecocks, Miss SC, Miss Richland County, and other local beauty queens, Colonial Life Insurance (who has naming rights at Colonial Life Arena, home of the women's and men's USC basketball teams), and Scout Motors. Overall, there were officially 106 floats participating in the parade.
Along the parade route, seven-year-old Carter, from Charleston, told News19's Darci Strickland her favorite player was Kamilla Cardoso because, "she's tall and helps out others on the team."
One of the reasons so many fans -- or FAMS -- came out for the team Sunday afternoon is because Staley and her players have become active participants in the community. During the season, Coach Dawn Staley has made the team accessible to Gamecock fans, opening up practices and making players available for autographs. Staley has said to build up the fanbase, she 'mom-ed and pop-ed it,' going out into the community to introduce herself and the team and invite fans to come to the games.
Back on the parade route, one of the more humorous floats was Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford's vehicle, complete with an RIP list of teams that the Gamecocks had defeated on the way to a perfect 38-0 record and the 2024 NCAA National Championship.
Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook and City of Columbia's City Manager Teresa Wilson told News19s Strickland that city officials wanted to make Sunday special for the team and for Cardoso, who expected to be a top pick in the WNBA Draft next week.
Officials say the city will invite local elected officials, government entities and community partners to join Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, city council members and USC officials in the parade.
Other dignitaries participating in the parade included SC Reps. Annie McDaniel, Beth Bernstein, Todd Rutherford, Kambrell Garvin, and Heather Bauer; SC Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine, and US Congressman James Clyburn.
The beginning of the player's portion of the parade began with three floats carrying USC women's basketball team alumni, ahead of USC Athletic Director Ray Tanner.
After Tanner, USC mascot Cocky was next, followed by the USC Cheer Team, then a series of Corvette convertibles carrying members of the women's team. Some of the players wore t-shirts printed with the phrase "38-0. You win some, you lose none."
Columbia's Keenan High School marching band walked in front of MiLaysia Fullwiley's Corvette. Fullwiley, who has signed a few Name Image and Likeness deals, is a Keenan graduate.
Ashlyn Watkins, the USC sophomore who famously dunked on Kentucky during this past season, rode in a Corvette in front of the band of alma mater Cardinal Newman High School in Columbia. Band and cheer members wore shirts with "Ashlyn" printed across the front.
Kamilla Cardoso was the player who handled and raised the 2024 NCAA Women's Championship Tournament trophy along the parade route.
Coach Staley rode in the last car, a Bentley.
The parade continues down Main Street and ends at the South Carolina State House, where Coach Dawn Staley and the players will speak once the floats have finished passing by.
The parade ended around 3:30 p.m. then players, coaches and other dignitaries mounted the State House steps for a series of speeches and celebration.
Staley's car was delayed approximately 15 minutes as the coach took time to sign t-shirts and other items and take selfies with fans along the parade route.
Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann started the State House celebration running down the impressive numbers racked up by the women's team, including averaging over 16,000 persons in attendance for the women's games.
Congressman Clyburn said, "Thank you, very, very much," to the team and that he was never more proud of the team then when he was sitting in the arena in Cleveland for the Women's Finals. He and others were nervous at the start, but looked over at Staley and her face and said to himself, she's not moved, we got this.
He then recognized Fullwiley and the fact she and he are from the same Columbia neighborhood.
USC President Michael Amiridis said it was a celebration of tenacity and teamwork and sense of family that the team has fostered. He also recognized Staley and her growing basketball dynasty -- and it's only six months away from the 2024-2025 season.
USC Athletics Director Ray Tanner said not many were sure how the team would perform with so many graduating but told the crowd that they inspired the team. Tanner said it was impressive how selfless team members were during the season, there was no one person, but the entire team made the season possible.
Individual team members and coaching staff were then introduced to the crowd, each player receiving a commemorative plaque from Mayor Rickenmann.
Rickenmann then announced that April has been declared USC Gamecock Women's National Championship Basketball Month, noting that Staley is the first African American college coach -- man or woman -- to win three NCAA Championships. The mayor then gave Staley a "new piece of bling," a custom WWE-like oversized championship belt.
Staley said it was an honor to coach the team and to represent the university, city of Columbia and state of South Carolina with uncommon favor. She gave thanks to the folks usually behind the scene, coaches, trainers, university president Amiridis, athletic director Tanner, sports supervisor Maria Hickman. Coach sent out a special shout out to Kamilla Cordoso -- now a two-time national champion -- who skipped WNBA Draft introductions to be with the team on Sunday before praising the entire team. She said, you can play any team, but when the fourth quarter comes around, "we aren't going to lose."
She wrapped up thanking the band and the FAMS for their support, saying she loved them deeply and thanked them for loving the team.
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Road Closings
12:00 p.m. Road Closures – 1100 & 1200 Calhoun St.
1100 & 1200 Richland St.
1100 & 1200 Laurel St.
1800 & 1900 Main St.
1100-1300 Gervais St.
12:30 p.m. Road Closures – 1000-1100 Sumter St.
1300 & 1400 Senate St.
1000 & 1100 Marion St.
1:30 p.m. Road Closures – 1200-1700 Main St.
2:00 p.m. Parade will begin
*Roads will re-open once the parade has ended and clean-up has been completed.
Parking Information
Parking will be available at City Parking Facilities at no charge. (See list below). We ask that you do not park in reserved spaces:
Lady Deck - 1100 Lady Street - Free Public Parking 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Washington Deck - 1100 Washington Street - Free Public Parking
Cannon Deck - 1227 Taylor Street - Free Public Parking
Sumter Deck - 1415 Sumter Street - No Public Parking
Taylor Deck - 1101 Taylor Street - Free Public Parking
Lincoln Deck - 820 Washington Street - Free Public Parking 12noon – 6PM
Park Street Deck - 1007 Park Street Free Public Parking 12noon – 6PM
Times the No Parking will be in Effect along Impacted Blocks
- NO PARKING AFTER 12MIDNIGHT SUNDAY ( NO PARKING SATURDAY NIGHT AFTER 11:59pm)
- TOWING ENFORCED
- 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900 Main
- 1100 and 1200 Richland
- 1100 and 1200 Laurel
- 1100 , 1200 Gervais
- 1100 Assembly
- 1000, 1100 Sumter
- 1200 Pendleton
- 1300 & 1400 Block of Senate
Please note: The process of bagging meters began at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, however enforcement will not begin until midnight on Sunday, April 14.
ADA parking will be available at the 1420 Assembly Street Surface Lot on a first come, first serve basis.
*Limited handicap viewing will be available at Main Street and Washington Street on the west side.
The South Carolina Gamecocks won the championship with an 87-75 victory over Iowa in the title game last Sunday.
USC became the first team to go undefeated since UConn in 2016 and just the 10th team all time to go through a season unblemished. Including last season, when they went undefeated until the Final Four, USC is a staggering 74-1 over the last two seasons. When you add their last title run in 2022, they're 108-3 in three seasons.
The Gamecocks are undefeated in championship games, going 3-0.
USC has also further cement their status as the best program in their sport with three championships since 2017, two near misses in 2021 and 2023, and the COVID stopped season when they were the top team going into the tournament that was canceled. No other team can boast the talent of the Gamecocks, and no other team has had anywhere near as much success.