South Carolina women’s basketball is rolling out the welcome mat this weekend for two official visitors: forward Kelsi Andrews and guard Somto Okafor.
Andrews’ stop in Columbia had long been anticipated. The Gamecocks have pursued the top-20 forward for years, so her arrival raised no eyebrows. Okafor’s appearance on campus, however, came as more of a surprise.
Okafor—whose full name is Somtochukwu-Blessed—originally committed to Arizona last November. But after head coach Adia Barnes departed the Wildcats to take over at SMU, Okafor quietly reopened her recruitment.
The 5-foot-9 guard from Barcelona, Spain, with Nigerian heritage, made a visit to UCLA earlier this week. Her list of finalists and potential additional visits remains unclear. Since she is based overseas, recruiting services have not yet ranked her.
Okafor first burst onto the international scene at the 2024 U16 EuroBasket tournament, where she posted 11.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Her performance earned her a place on the All-Star Five and an offer from Arizona.
If EuroBasket was her introduction, the 2025 U19 World Cup in Czechia solidified her reputation as one of Europe’s rising stars. She averaged 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 steals while again being named to the All-Star Five. In the bronze medal showdown, she exploded for 23 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and three steals, lifting Spain to a 70-68 victory over Canada and standout Syla Swords.
Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley was courtside at that World Cup, keeping tabs on incoming freshmen Agot Makeer of Canada—who nearly forced overtime with a last-second steal but missed the game-tying three—and Ayla McDowell of Brazil. Staley was also evaluating international talent like Okafor and Australian forward Sitaya Fagan, who is expected to take her own official visit to Columbia soon.
