Brionna Dickerson, '09
Brionna Dickerson is the poster child for what you want from a University student-athlete. Dickerson had an outstanding career for the University of South Carolina as a member of the women’s basketball team, graduated in four years, and is continuing her education while staying close to the game she loves.
Dickerson graduated from Carolina in 2009 with a degree in International Business with a concentration in marketing and completed a minor in Spanish. The Columbia native came to the University on a basketball scholarship after a record-breaking high school career at Heathwood Hall. She is currently working as an assistant basketball coach at Heathwood while in graduate school studying international business at Carolina, and she was the recipient of a post-graduate scholarship.
“During the (basketball) season I was nominated for the Brad Davis Award, which recognizes seniors who show not only leadership qualities but also took time to do their part in the community,” Dickerson explains. “The scholarship was for $6,000, and I was able to use it for books, housing, or any other costs that are associated with graduate school.”
Shortly after earning her degree from Carolina, Dickerson traded in her high tops for a coach’s whistle and accepted a position as an assistant coach with the Heathwood Hall girls’ basketball team, where she coaches one of her younger sisters, Victoria. Transitioning from player to coach has been a bittersweet experience for her. While she enjoys giving back to her high school alma mater, Dickerson says it is difficult not being on the court as a player. In fact, she now has a better appreciation of the roles of coaches and players.
“After my first game that I coached with Heathwood, I texted (South Carolina) Coach (Dawn) Staley and told her that I finally understand how she feels and apologized for any grief that I may have caused,” Dickerson says. “It is such a different experience in being in a leadership role instead of being out there on the court. Sometimes I have to realize that the girls haven’t been on the level that I have been on and realize that I am one of their ways to get to that level.”
Life as a Student-Athlete
Dickerson was the first in her family to attend the University of South Carolina, and her basketball career progressed nicely during her four years. Getting into the Honors College was one of the main reasons why she decided to stay home instead of going away to college.
“I knew that the Honors College was on the same level as any Ivy League school, so why not stay home to play in front of my family” Dickerson says. “Getting accepted into the International Business program was just a bonus.”
Dickerson was also involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the NAACP, and the CHAMPS service organization. Tie all that in with practices, games, travel, study-hall, classes and everything else associated with being a student-athlete, and one has to appreciate her time-management skills.
“When you are in high school, your parents always tell you that it is important to learn how to multitask,” Dickerson recalls. “Having or not having the ability to manage your time can make or break you as a student-athlete. Neither school nor athletics could lose any of my focus. I also had to learn how to make time for myself as well, outside of school and practice. Having the upperclassmen there to mentor me played a major part and made the transition a lot easier.”
Dealing with Adversity
Dickerson averaged more than ten points per game as a junior and was on her way to an All-SEC caliber season as a senior, averaging 13.4 points per game, when a knee injury ended her college career prematurely 19 games into her final year. Sadly, it wasn’t the first time Dickerson would miss her senior year as a knee injury in her final year at Heathwood also caused her to miss what could have been a banner year.
“Both injuries were very difficult,” Dickerson explains. “The first one came at a time when my high school was predicted to win our first and only state championship, and the second came as our team was making a great stand in the conference when were predicted to maybe have an opportunity to get to the NCAA tournament. So, both hit pretty hard, but thankfully I had my teammates and families to help me get through the surgery and rehab and keep my spirits up.”
The business of college athletics certainly had an impact on Dickerson as a coaching change presented some challenges initially. Olympic medalist Dawn Staley was brought in to be the new head coach of the women’s basketball program prior to her senior year, but Dickerson adjusted quickly and made the most of the opportunity learn from one of the all-time great women’s basketball players.
“The thought of not knowing what to expect was the most difficult part,” Dickerson says. “But when I found out that the new coach would be Dawn Staley, I knew that my teammates and I were in great hands. I learned so much from her in my last year, and her knowledge and ability to relay it to someone like me allowed many doors athletically to open that weren’t there before.”
Once she completes graduate school, Dickerson has thoughts of staying in basketball as a player, a coach, or both.
“I definitely do miss playing,” Dickerson says. “Basketball is still my passion, and once I finish rehabbing and graduate from grad school, I plan on playing again. My hope is to go overseas next year and play somewhere in Asia. I would definitely like to get to the next level in coaching too. I feel that coaching at the high school level is just the beginning, and I hope to eventually be able to get to the college level.”
Memorable Moments, On and Off the Floor
Her days as an undergraduate are not too far in the rearview mirror, and Dickerson has many good memories of her Carolina experience. She claims she never had a professor or a class that she did not like, and thoroughly enjoyed learning about Spanish language and Hispanic culture. She also recalls happy memories of student-athlete community service projects, including a trip to the children’s hospital to visit youngsters who were sick.
“While I was there I overheard two nurses talking about a little girl who never usually got any visitors other than her parents because most of the volunteers that came by didn’t speak Spanish,” Dickerson says. “This was a major issue because she didn’t speak any English, and her parents only knew enough to get by. I decided to pay her a visit. When I knocked on the door, her parents already knew I was a volunteer and quickly said that she doesn’t speak English. I just looked back at them and told them in Spanish that I had become almost fluent in Spanish and wanted to visit with her. I wish I could put into words the look that her parents gave me. They were so excited, and when I saw the little girl’s face when I told her hello in Spanish and that I was there to visit her, I almost wanted to cry. She didn’t stop talking from that moment on. The nurse said that was the most talkative that she had been since she got in the hospital and at that moment, I was proud of my education at USC.”
As for her most memorable moment as a basketball player, that event actually happened after a game. Dickerson led the Gamecocks with 17 points in a narrow loss to perennial power Tennessee in Knoxville during her senior year and met former University of Georgia All-American and U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame member Teresa Edwards after the game.
“Teresa Edwards, who is a close friend of Coach Staley, approached me after the game and told me that she had seen the last couple games and complimented me on my game,” Dickerson recalls. “I was so star struck and barely mustered up the nerve to say thank you. It was almost like a dream to be standing by my coach, who was an all-everything star, and talked to another person who had been at the same level, and actually have them both compliment me.”
Dickerson often speaks about her basketball “family” and now tries to pass along that appreciation and kinship to another younger sister, Kristen, who is a freshman on the basketball team at Francis Marion University.
“My advice to my younger sister would be to just enjoy the familial bond that develops between her and her teammates,” Dickerson says. “My teammates and coaching staff turned into a second family for me.”
Dickerson is a member of the Carolina Alumni Association and is proud to call the University of South Carolina her alma mater.
“USC has allowed so many opportunities both academically and athletically,” Dickerson says. “I’ve met so many wonderful and influential people, and I’ve been to so many beautiful and exotic places. In many ways, I feel as if I owe so much of my success to this point to the university and its faculty and staff, and if there is anyway that I can allow someone to witness and experience half the wonderful things I have, I’m all for it.”