South Carolina Women’s Basketball Staying Busy: Big Returns, New Faces, and Fresh Momentum
The South Carolina Gamecocks may have just wrapped up a hard-fought season, but Dawn Staley and her squad have wasted no time gearing up for another championship run.
Just three weeks into the offseason, the Gamecocks have already made waves with two major transfer additions: Florida State star guard Ta’Niya Latson and Mississippi State’s rising 6-foot-6 center Madina Okot. Add to that the confirmed return of veteran guard Raven Johnson, and the team’s foundation is already looking strong.
Johnson’s return was a major talking point during the back half of the season. She remained quiet about her decision—at least publicly—until announcing in early April that she would be back.
“She had no choice. We weren’t going to let her leave,” Adhel Tac joked during the Gamecock Gala awards event on Monday.
Though fans and analysts speculated about her next move, freshman sensation Joyce Edwards never had doubts.
“I feel like I always knew, so I wasn’t really preparing my emotions for her to leave,” Edwards said.
Since Johnson joined the program, South Carolina has racked up two national titles and a staggering 144-7 record. Tac summed up what she means to the team:
“We don’t like the thought of having Raven leave (or) somebody like Raven. It’s a really great thing and we’re gonna do our best to give her an amazing last year here.”
And that’s not the only major move. Wendale Farrow was officially announced as the newest assistant coach, stepping into the role vacated by Winston Gandy, who took the head coaching job at Grand Canyon University.
Dawn Staley was thrilled with the hire:
“We struck gold in bringing Wendale into our Gamecock family,” she said in a release. “He is an accomplished young 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, 37, joins the Gamecocks after four years at USC (Southern Cal). Despite only being on the job for a few days, he’s already made a strong impression.
“We love him,” Tac said. “He’s a great addition to our staff. He just brings really great vibes.”
The grind continues for South Carolina. The team was already back in the gym just a week after their championship loss to UConn, and plans to stay active before taking a brief break in May.
“We started practicing again already,” Edwards said. “… We have like all of May off and I think we’ll have one and a half weeks in June and then we’ll be back at it.”
With elite talent, a strengthened roster, and a tight-knit culture, the Gamecocks are already looking locked in for another deep postseason run.
