South Carolina women’s basketball is facing a major challenge heading into the 2025-26 season after senior forward Chloe Kitts was ruled out with a torn ACL. The Gamecocks announced Monday morning that Kitts will miss the entire season, leaving head coach Dawn Staley to find answers in a suddenly thin frontcourt.
Last season, Kitts emerged as one of the Gamecocks’ most dynamic and dependable players, averaging 10.2 points, a team-high 7.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. She helped South Carolina claim another SEC Tournament title and reach the Final Four, while earning SEC Tournament MVP and NCAA Birmingham Regional MVP honors.
Her standout moment came at Ole Miss, where she recorded a 16-point, 13-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, showcasing the versatility that made her a projected first-round 2026 WNBA Draft pick.
Now, the Gamecocks will have to navigate the season without both Kitts and Ashlyn Watkins, who also suffered an ACL injury earlier in the year and will sit out the season to continue rehabbing. With just 10 healthy players remaining, the depth concerns are real.
The most likely starting lineup adjustment will see transfer Madina Okot take over at center and sophomore Joyce Edwards shift into Kitts’ forward spot.
Okot, a 6-foot-6 transfer from Mississippi State, averaged 11.2 points and 9.6 rebounds last season and was one of the top portal additions in the country. Meanwhile, Edwards, who led the Gamecocks in scoring last season with 12.7 points and 5.0 rebounds, will be expected to anchor the frontcourt. She finished the year strong, posting a double-double against Texas in the Final Four and earning First-Team All-SEC and All-Final Four honors.
Beyond the starters, Staley will need improvement from Maryam Dauda and Adhel Tac, both of whom underperformed last season but showed progress over the summer.
Dauda averaged just 2.0 points and 1.9 rebounds in limited minutes but previously excelled at Arkansas, where she put up 10.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game and led the SEC in blocks during conference play. Tac, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, only played 3.8 minutes per game last season but was once the No. 2-ranked post in her recruiting class. She’s reportedly in better shape and could see an expanded role this season.
Another intriguing option is freshman Ayla McDowell, a 6-foot-1 guard-forward hybrid who could provide minutes at the stretch-four position. McDowell, who played forward for Brazil in international play, brings hustle, rebounding, and outside shooting that could help balance smaller lineups.
As for reinforcements, Staley could explore early enrollment for one of South Carolina’s 2026 signees, following a path similar to Notre Dame’s Cassandre Prosper, who joined midseason in 2022 for depth.
Without Kitts, the Gamecocks will rely heavily on Edwards and Okot while hoping for breakout performances from Dauda, Tac, or McDowell.
Kitts’ absence is a major blow, but if there’s one thing Staley’s program has proven over the years, it’s resilience. As Staley often says, “Next woman up.”
