South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel is officially back on the court. A team spokesperson confirmed that McDaniel returned to practice on Thursday after spending nearly two weeks away from the team due to an indefinite suspension issued on November 11 for undisclosed reasons.
During her absence, McDaniel missed three matchups — Clemson, Southern Cal, and Winthrop — leaving the Gamecocks to rotate multiple players at the backup point guard spot.
From Knee Injury to Suspension
McDaniel’s season had already taken a rocky turn before the suspension. She suffered a knee injury during South Carolina’s opener against Grand Canyon, forcing her to sit out the second half. She practiced only on the sidelines the following week and suited up for the Bowling Green game but never checked in.
The week after, signs of trouble emerged. McDaniel was not present during the portion of practice open to reporters before the Clemson game. At that time, head coach Dawn Staley said McDaniel “probably” wouldn’t play.
Just over an hour before tipoff against Clemson, the program announced McDaniel was suspended and would not be present at the game.
Afterward, Staley kept details locked down. When asked about the reason for the suspension, she declined to elaborate. Reporters pressed further, asking whether McDaniel would be available for the next game against Southern Cal. Staley replied, “Doubt it.”
When asked for a timeline on McDaniel’s return, Staley said only:
“That’s on her. We evaluate it every day.”
A Key Piece Returns
McDaniel’s comeback is significant for a Gamecock team that expected her to take on a larger role this season. Last year she averaged 3.1 points and 1.7 assists, but her early-season play made waves — at times even outplaying starting point guard Raven Johnson.
With McDaniel unavailable, South Carolina leaned on Ta’Niya Latson, Tessa Johnson, and Agot Makeer to run the point in reserve minutes.
Now, with her back at practice, the Gamecocks may soon regain a versatile guard capable of stabilizing their backcourt rotation — though when she’ll return to game action remains to be seen.
