The name Seimone Augustus has not only become synonymous with LSU women’s basketball but with the University as a whole.
Coach Pokey Chatman said she comes across some people who know more about Augustus and the women’s basketball team than the University.
“They just know more in depth about the basketball program,” Chatman said.
Since her arrival in the summer of 2002, the home-grown Augustus, who prepped at Capitol High School in Baton Rouge, has received a wide array of awards, which has garnered national attention for her and the University.
She added her most recent honor, the Associated Press SEC Player of the Year, to one of her two 6-foot trophy cases, next to awards ranging from Freshman of the Year to National Player of the Year.
Even with the impressive list of awards, Augustus’ impact on the University does not stop there.
In the season before her arrival, the Lady Tigers averaged a little more than 1,000 fans at home games, compared to the crowd of more than 6,300 that attended this year, Augustus’ last season.
Augustus, who was the first high school player of the year to sign with the Lady Tigers, has helped launch the LSU women’s basketball program to numerous other firsts.
As a freshman she was instrumental in LSU’s first SEC tournament victory since 1991. She then led LSU to its first-ever Final Four appearance in her sophomore season after the team received its first No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament.
Augustus followed that up in her junior campaign by leading LSU to its first undefeated season in the SEC and first regular season SEC title.
But in her senior season, even with everything she has already accomplished, Augustus and the team are two firsts away from becoming an eternal part of LSU lore.
“I’m glad to be a part of all the firsts,” Augustus said. “But I’m not going to settle for anything less than our first Final Four win and NCAA title.”
The past two Final Four appearances ended in heartache for the Lady Tigers. Rival Tennessee handed them a last-second loss in 2004, and the Lady Tigers had a surprising loss to underdog and eventual national champion Baylor last season.
“You’re always disappointed about making it to the Final Four then not being able to play for the title,” Augustus said.
Starting with their opening game against Florida Atlantic on Friday, the senior said she will have the same focus for this year’s quest for a Lady Tigers’ championship, but she admits she may be more eager in her last time around.
“I have a tough mental focus, and I will be competitive as usual. But this year it’s one and done, and I know I’ll never be able to do this again in my life,” Augustus said. “That makes me want to go out and compete that much more because from this step it’s on to the professional leagues, and I’ll never challenge for a national title again.”
The Lady Tigers enter the tournament as the No. 1-seed in the San Antonio regional and present more problems to opposing teams than just Augustus.
Sylvia Fowles, along with Augustus, was a unanimous first team All-SEC selection and at 6 feet 6 inches can be dominant at times.
Erica White, a mid-season guard addition to the starting line-up, has a tendency to give the Lady Tigers that boost of energy when the team becomes stagnant.
Add that to fellow starters Ashley Thomas’ and Scholanda Hoston’s solid play as well as a very capable and experienced bench led by senior Florence Williams, and all signs point to the team winning a championship.
Augustus said she realizes this, and while determined to win the tournament, she still would be able to accept a loss with her head held high.
“I would be hurt because I think we have all the components to win the title,” she said. “But my career would be incomplete in a sense that that’s something I didn’t achieve here. I would still be happy with everything I’ve accomplished at LSU.”
Chatman agreed and said the legacy Augustus is leaving would be strong with or without a championship because of the All-American’s personality.
“I don’t think her legacy would be tainted without a title, but I think a championship would add to it,” Chatman said. “For a person of Seimone’s caliber, socially, athletically and academically, I think it would be a nice addition to her legacy. But I think it’s already pretty phenomenal.”
As far as what Augustus would like people to say about her when she’s gone, it’s simple.
“As a ballplayer I would like them to say that she was smart, very aggressive and the best at what she did,” Augustus said. “But she still played within her team.”
 
Contact Jeff Martin at [email protected]