Former Gamecock Sahnya Jah Reunites with Coach Adia Barnes at SMU Amid Eventful College Journey
Sahnya Jah, a former South Carolina Gamecocks forward, is on the move once again — officially signing with SMU, her third college team in as many years, the program confirmed Monday night.
Jah will be reuniting with Adia Barnes, her coach from Arizona, who was just announced as SMU’s new head coach. The Mustangs, who now compete in the ACC, struggled last season with a 10-20 overall record and a 2-16 mark in conference play.
Originally a four-star recruit out of Virginia, Jah began her college career under Coach Dawn Staley at South Carolina as part of the Class of 2023. Her freshman campaign, however, was cut short after she was suspended “indefinitely due to conduct detrimental to the team.” Coach Staley did not provide specifics, and Jah did not play or travel with the team for the remainder of the season. She entered the transfer portal just before the 2024 NCAA Tournament, ending her USC stint with 16 appearances, averaging 3.1 points and 9.1 minutes per game off the bench.
Transferring to Arizona, Jah had flashes of potential. She played in 18 of 33 games, averaging 6.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game, including a career-high 22-point performance against Weber State.
However, her time in Arizona was also marred by off-court challenges. Jah was suspended by the NCAA for nearly two months, from late January through mid-March. Coach Adia Barnes did not disclose the reason behind the suspension. Jah returned to action just in time for the Big 12 Conference Tournament, playing seven minutes in Arizona’s season-ending WBIT loss.
Now at SMU, Jah will look to reset and rebuild her career with two years of eligibility remaining, under a familiar coach who clearly believes in her potential.
