LAS VEGAS — Former Rock Island basketball standout and South Carolina guard Brea Beal has signed a training camp contract with the Las Vegas Aces, according to a press release.
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Beal was the 24th overall pick in the 2023 WNBA draft last year. She was selected by the Minnesota Lynx in the second round but was waived prior to the season starting. It was the first time someone from the Quad Cities had been drafted into the WNBA, which was founded back in 1996 with league play starting in 1997.
Beal was a 2023 AP All-America honorable mention and a 2023 SEC All-Defensive Team selection. She was also a four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. She averaged 6.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists over her four-year career at South Carolina.
During her time, the Gamecocks won the 2022 NCAA championship and made it to the Final Four in 2021 and 2023. They also won three regular season SEC championships and three SEC Tournament titles.
During her time as a Rocky, Beal was named the 2019 Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year in Illinois. The only person who has received that honor in the Quad Cities since then is Divine Bourrage from Davenport North.
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