Following the emotional end to South Carolina’s March Madness campaign, all eyes were on Chloe Kitts—a standout player who had given everything she had to help lead her team to the championship game. Despite her best efforts and those of her teammates, the Gamecocks fell short, and the loss hit hard. The disappointment was visible on Kitts’ face as she walked off the court, surrounded by the weight of expectations and heartbreak.
However, amid the flurry of interviews, analysis, and post-game chatter, it wasn’t a coach, reporter, or even a teammate who gave the defining statement of the night. It was her boyfriend, Colin Murray-Boyles, a rising star in his own right on the men’s side of South Carolina basketball. His reaction came not in a press conference or lengthy social media post, but in one single, carefully chosen word shared online.
That word was “Proud.”
Short and simple, but overflowing with meaning, the message struck a chord with fans and fellow athletes alike. It wasn’t about the score or the stats. It wasn’t about what could have been done differently. It was about support, love, and recognizing the journey Kitts had been on. Murray-Boyles’ one-word post quickly went viral, not because it was grandiose, but because it captured what so many were feeling but didn’t know how to say.
His message served as a reminder that success isn’t only measured by wins and losses, but by the passion, effort, and courage to compete on the biggest stage.
