South Carolina women’s basketball program, led by head coach Dawn Staley, is welcoming a new face to its coaching staff. Wendale Farrow has officially been named assistant coach, stepping in following the departure of Winston Gandy, who accepted the head coaching position at Grand Canyon University. Chloe Rice, South Carolina’s assistant recruiting coordinator, is also joining Gandy at Grand Canyon.
Farrow arrives in Columbia after a successful four-year stint at Southern Cal, where he played a key role in revitalizing the program alongside head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. Prior to his time with the Trojans, he spent five seasons at California, and also gained experience coaching at Vanderbilt, UCLA, Michigan, and Eastern Michigan.
A former player at American River College and Eastern Michigan, Farrow is recognized for his expertise in working with guards and wings, as well as his strong tactical mind and high basketball IQ. With Gandy previously serving as a key strategist for the Gamecocks, Farrow is expected to step seamlessly into that critical role.
From the official South Carolina Athletics release:
“We struck gold in bringing Wendale into our Gamecock family,” said Dawn Staley. “He is an accomplished young coach who has been part of every aspect of successful programs, and that journey has made him a seasoned, complete coach from Xs and Os to player development to recruiting to community service. We’re excited to see the huge impact he will make on our team and Columbia.”
Farrow’s tenure at Southern Cal was marked by success. The Trojans claimed the 2025 Big Ten Regular-Season Championship and the 2024 Pac-12 Tournament title, made an NCAA Elite Eight appearance, and finished in the top five of the AP Poll in consecutive seasons. His time there also saw six WNBA Draft selections, including Kiki Iriafen, a first-round pick in 2025.
Before Southern Cal, Farrow spent five seasons at Cal, where he helped guide the team to multiple 20-win seasons and NCAA Tournament appearances. Two players from those teams also went on to be drafted into the WNBA. He began his assistant coaching journey in the SEC with Vanderbilt, serving under Melanie Balcomb during the 2015-16 season.
Farrow’s coaching career began at UCLA, where he served as video coordinator during the 2013-14 season. His responsibilities expanded to include roles such as scout team advisor, community service liaison, and interim recruiting coach.
A former Academic All-District honoree at Eastern Michigan, Farrow began his coaching path as a graduate manager after earning his degree. He later worked at Michigan as an academic mentor while completing his master’s in educational leadership student affairs from EMU in 2013.
