South Carolina’s Winston Gandy Set for Emotional Showdown Before Taking Grand Canyon Job
Before Winston Gandy embarks on his first head coaching role at Grand Canyon University, the South Carolina assistant will face a school that played a crucial role in his journey—Maryland.
Gandy’s basketball roots trace back to the Maryland Terrapins, where he was a practice player from 2009-13 before stepping into the role of Director of Recruiting Coordination (2013-14) under Brenda Frese.
Frese Praises Gandy’s Rise
Frese, thrilled about Gandy’s opportunity, had nothing but praise for her former staff member:
“So happy for Winston. And you know, no one deserves it more,” Frese said. “The way he works, the relationships he’s built over his career—it’s only right that he’s ready for his next step.”
Before Grand Canyon officially announced the hire, Gandy reached out to Frese for a quote ahead of his first press conference. She gladly obliged:
“What a tremendous hire for Grand Canyon University with Winston Gandy. I can personally say, from all the time I spent with Winston, he was impactful every single day—from being a scout guy to support staff.”
Key Role in South Carolina’s Success
In his two seasons with South Carolina, Gandy has played a major role in the team’s success. After the Gamecocks’ 2024 National Championship win over Iowa, Dawn Staley credited him for his scouting of the Hawkeyes, and he was also instrumental in South Carolina’s 2025 SEC Championship victory over Texas.
His impact wasn’t lost on Raven Johnson, who spoke highly of his preparation:
“His scout was amazing. Everything he had on that scout was right—the way to play her (Caitlin Clark), her weaknesses … I kept asking him, ‘How do you know this?’ He stayed up hours and hours studying not just her, but the whole team.”
Staley: ‘We Knew We Had Limited Time’
From the moment Gandy joined South Carolina, Staley knew he was destined for bigger things.
“We were hoping to keep him longer,” Staley admitted. “But duty calls. He’s ready to move over those 12 inches and take the next step. Super happy for him—it couldn’t happen to a better person or coach.”
Grand Canyon Gets a ‘Winner’
Beyond his scouting, Gandy was hands-on with player development. Raven Johnson shared how dedicated he was to improving every player’s shot, making sure no one left the gym until they put up 100 shots.
“Grand Canyon is getting a great head coach, someone who knows how to win—not just at South Carolina. He’s won everywhere he’s been.”
One More Walk Down Memory Lane?
Before he officially transitions to Grand Canyon, Gandy might get another trip down memory lane in Birmingham. South Carolina faces Maryland, while Duke (where Gandy was an associate head coach in 2022-23) takes on North Carolina.
For Frese, it’s a special moment:
“Pretty special that we get to see each other one more time before he takes off as the new head coach.”
From Maryland to South Carolina and now Grand Canyon, Winston Gandy’s coaching journey is just beginning.
