South Carolina coach Dawn Staley offered high praise for a fellow SEC coach. Texas A&M's Joni Taylor was named the recipient of a prestigious award. Staley took to social media to share a heartfelt message.

It all comes up as Texas A&M women’s basketball head coach Joni Taylor was unanimously voted the 2026 Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award recipient by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. As the post landed on Staley’s feed, she praised Taylor.

“@CoachJoniTaylor there’s not a big enough bouquet of flowers to celebrate you for who you are and what you represent to us! Congrats! Congrats! Congrats! Much deserved!” she wrote, publicly celebrating Taylor’s achievement.

Well, the honor just adds another milestone to Taylor’s résumé. She had won the 2025 Carol Eckman Integrity in Coaching Award last year. She previously helped Team USA capture gold at the Paris Olympics as an assistant coach. 

But this recognition feels especially meaningful. That’s because the Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award honors the late Kay Yow, the former NC State women’s basketball coach.

Notably, Yow was one of the most respected figures in the sport, finishing her career with more than 700 wins and three Olympic gold medals. But Taylor getting the award doesn't seem like a surprise, especially after she won the 2025 Carol Eckman Integrity in Coaching Award.

She will receive the Kay Yow Heart award at the WBCA Convention during this year’s Final Four in Phoenix. But will the Aggies still be playing by then?

Where Do the Aggies Stand in the March Madness Race?

According to recent projections, Texas A&M is currently slotted around a No. 10 seed.

The team holds an 11–11 overall record and is riding a two-game winning streak. They are hovering at a .500 winning percentage this season. But there is still time to improve their résumé before Selection Sunday.

Quality wins down the stretch could change their position. Up next, Taylor and the Maroon & White return to the court Sunday, Feb. 22, at Reed Arena against Arkansas.

Read more at She Got Game!

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar