Dawn Staley Makes Major Roster Changes as South Carolina Targets Another National Championship

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has spent the offseason addressing the issues that prevented the Gamecocks from finishing last season with a national championship. After falling short against UCLA in the title game, Staley has focused on strengthening the team’s mental toughness, improving its depth, and preparing a relatively inexperienced group for one of the toughest schedules in women’s college basketball.

The Gamecocks have already demonstrated their ability to compete with the nation’s best. However, Staley believes the next step is learning how to maintain that level of performance from one difficult game to the next.

South Carolina’s Mental Toughness Under the Spotlight

Before South Carolina lost to UConn in the 2025 national championship game, Staley recognized two important roster needs: a dominant post player and a reliable go-to scorer. She addressed those concerns through the transfer portal, adding Madina Okot and Ta’Niya Latson.

Both players made valuable contributions, but the Gamecocks continued to struggle with consistency following emotionally demanding victories.

Their four losses illustrated the problem. South Carolina fell to Texas in Las Vegas after defeating Duke, then lost to Oklahoma in its first SEC game following a victory over Texas. Later, the Gamecocks lost to Texas in the SEC Championship after an exhausting semifinal against LSU before falling to UCLA in the national championship game after beating previously undefeated UConn.

Reflecting on the pattern, Staley emphasized the need to strengthen her team’s mental approach.

“I think mentally is where we need to be stronger because obviously I think there’s been a breakdown in our mental strength,” Staley said at SEC Tipoff. “Having to have played, you know, tough matches in the semifinals and how we can get over the top, I think the mental aspects. So we probably go a little bit longer in practice just to stretch them out a little bit, to dig in. When physically they’re probably exhausted, something else has to kick in. We’re creating better mental habits.”

Dawn Staley Builds a Deeper Roster

Injuries also exposed South Carolina’s lack of depth last season. Chloe Kitts suffered a preseason knee injury that sidelined her for the entire campaign, while Ashlyn Watkins elected to sit out as she recovered from an ACL injury.

Additional injuries affected Latson, freshman Agot Makeer, backup guard Maddy McDaniel and Adhel Tac. With several players unavailable, the healthy members of the rotation were forced to handle heavy workloads, limiting Staley’s ability to experiment with lineups.

This offseason, Staley responded by assembling a 15-player roster, departing from her usual preference for a smaller group.

Kitts and Watkins are returning, while the recruiting additions include highly rated freshman Oliviyah Edwards, former Texas starter Jordan Lee and French wing Justine Loubens, whose shooting ability gives the Gamecocks another promising option. Brooke Quarles-Daniels replaced McDaniel after her departure, maintaining the roster’s size.

Staley explained why the expanded group matters.

“I think it all plays a part. I do,” Staley said before South Carolina’s exhibition against Benedict. “I don’t think we had as much depth as we’ve had in a long time last year. We do have depth, but we don’t have experience, so we have to allow that experience to grow up. Hopefully we’re going to get a chance to lean on them a little bit more as they get more and more experience under their belts and understand how much of a high level (of) basketball this is.”

Freshmen Show Promise, but Experience Remains Essential

South Carolina opened its exhibition schedule with a commanding 113-34 victory over Benedict. However, Staley was more interested in evaluating player combinations and identifying offensive actions that would remain effective against stronger opposition.

She described the importance of developing “transferable plays” that could succeed regardless of the opponent.

“They really have a bright future, but they also are freshmen,” she said. “They’ll be up and down with the schedule we have. I talked to them about transferable play. You need transferable play. Plays that will work no matter if we’re playing Benedict, playing Maryland, or playing UConn.”

The coaching staff must integrate five freshmen, two transfers and two returning veterans who missed the previous season. Although experienced players such as Joyce Edwards and Tessa Johnson provide stability, the team still needs time to develop chemistry.

“We have a team in which half of it is experienced, but yet haven’t played in a year, year-and-a-half,” Staley said. “The other half is just freshmen and newcomers or players only played half a semester for us. We’re just trying to figure out some continuity. We’ve got a solid seven or eight that can really go, but we’re trying to expand our depth. Probably only game experience is going to do that.”

Freshman Jerzy Robinson stood out against Benedict, finishing with 17 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. Her versatility and early composure suggest she could become an important contributor. The other freshmen also displayed potential, although their performances revealed the adjustment required at the college level.

“I think sometimes it catches you,” Staley said. “You think you are so good and it looks so easy when you’re watching on TV, but when you have to do it night in and night out, it’s taxing physically, mentally, and spiritually if you are not playing your best.”

A Challenging Schedule Awaits the Gamecocks

South Carolina’s demanding schedule will test its progress early. The Gamecocks face four NCAA Tournament teams, including three ranked opponents, before playing their first home game.

Across the season, they are scheduled to face 19 teams that reached the previous NCAA Tournament, with road matchups against UConn, Duke, UCLA and Notre Dame. Oklahoma State will also visit South Carolina.

Ultimately, Staley has strengthened her roster to address last season’s shortcomings. The talent is evident, but integrating newcomers, developing mental resilience and building dependable depth will determine how far the Gamecocks advance.

South Carolina’s championship ambitions remain firmly intact. The challenge now is turning its improved depth and individual talent into consistent performances when the pressure is highest.

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