Who’s in, who’s out: South Carolina’s Projected Starting Five vs College of Charleston
South Carolina heads into its exhibition tune-up with a reshaped roster, a pair of key players returning from injury, and a projected starting lineup that leans on both experience and a talented young core.
Game details
The exhibition tips off at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27 at Credit One Stadium on Daniel Island in Charleston, SC, with the broadcast available on ESPN+ via ESPN.com or the ESPN app.
A full roster, unusual for Staley
One notable wrinkle: Dawn Staley is carrying a full 15-woman roster this season, which the piece points out is a departure from her usual approach of leaving a few roster spots open.
Who’s in, who’s out
The roster mixes returning talent with fresh additions:
- Returning players: guards Tessa Johnson, Ayla McDowell, and Agot Makeer, plus forwards Joyce Edwards, Chloe Kitts, Adhel Tac, Ashlyn Watkins, and Alicia Tournebize.
- Incoming freshmen: forwards Kelsi Andrews, Oliviyah Edwards, and Kaeli Wynn, and guards Justine Loubens and Jerzy Robinson.
- Incoming transfers: guards Jordan Lee and Brooke Quarles-Daniels.
- Players lost: guards Raven Johnson and Ta’Niya Latson (both to the WNBA), Maddy McDaniel (who left the team in August), forward Madina Okot (WNBA), and Maryam Dauda (graduated).
Two proven starters return
South Carolina brings back two starters from a season ago in Tessa Johnson and Joyce Edwards, and both had standout campaigns. Johnson set new career-highs in points (12.8 avg), rebounds (3.4 avg), and assists (2.5 avg), while also leading the SEC in three-point shooting at a 44.8% clip. Edwards, meanwhile, was named an All-American after leading the team with 19.2 points per game and finishing second on the team with 6.8 rebounds per game.
Key forwards back from injury
A major storyline heading into the season is the return of two frontcourt starters from significant injuries. Chloe Kitts (ACL tear, October 2025) and Ashlyn Watkins (ACL tear, January 2025) both appear healthy and ready to play. Both are described as All-SEC-caliber players at their best, and their health is framed as crucial to South Carolina’s success in the paint this season.
A young core stays intact — and gets reinforcements
Staley also managed to retain her sophomore trio of Ayla McDowell, Agot Makeer, and Alicia Tournebize. That group is joined by an incoming freshman class that was ranked the No. 2 recruiting class in the country by ESPN — a notable talent infusion behind the returning starters.
Transfer additions bring backcourt depth
South Carolina rounds out its guard rotation with two transfers: Jordan Lee (from Texas) and Brooke Quarles-Daniels (from Michigan, by way of Oakland). Both are described as skilled on both ends of the floor and expected to eat up significant minutes in the backcourt.
Projected starting five
Based on talent and experience, the projected lineup is:
- PG: Tessa Johnson — Senior, 6-0
- G: Jordan Lee — Junior, 6-0
- Wing: Agot Makeer — Sophomore, 6-2
- F: Chloe Kitts — Redshirt Senior, 6-3
- Post: Joyce Edwards — Junior, 6-3
This group is characterized as South Carolina’s most talented and experienced five, offering a balance of size, skill, and versatility.
A possible wrinkle
The projection isn’t locked in, though. Given Dawn Staley’s history of valuing a strong bench presence, there’s a real chance she opts to start Ashlyn Watkins in place of Kitts for extra defense and size in the frontcourt, or use Jerzy Robinson instead of Jordan Lee in the backcourt — meaning the season-opening lineup could look a bit different than the “on-paper” projection above.
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