Staley Breaks Down First Preseason Practice: Health, Point Guard Battle, and Rising Seniors
South Carolina officially opened preseason practice on Monday, and Dawn Staley addressed the media afterward with updates spanning health, position battles, and roster integration.
Health Update
The full roster was present except Ayla McDowell, who missed practice only due to a class conflict. Notably, both Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts, each recovering from torn ACLs, practiced without a brace — a meaningful sign of progress. Kitts described herself as feeling “great.” Kaeli Wynn remains limited due to a lingering high school injury, with Staley emphasizing patience: “We’re going to take it real slow until she’s absolutely ready to go.” Staley also left the door open to holding certain players out of Sunday’s exhibition, though no final decision had been made.
The Point Guard Picture
Newcomer Brooke Quarles Daniels ran point guard for one squad during the media-viewing portion of practice, and Staley was clearly impressed, calling her performance “great” and noting she’s exceeded the coaching staff’s expectations: “Her teams win.” Tessa Johnson ran the point for another group, with practice organized into three mixed teams rather than a clear starter/reserve split. Staley was direct about the expectations for whoever runs point this season, deliberately lowering the bar from past standouts: “We’re not asking them to be a Ty Harris or Raven Johnson or anything like that. We need them to be a primary ballhandler and we want them to give it up as much as possible.”
Newcomers Still Adjusting
Among the group working against the “Highlighters” squad, Daniels, Jordan Lee, Jerzy Robinson, and Justine Loubens represented the newcomer contingent. Staley noted Lee is still adapting to the new system, and shared a somewhat amusing regret about roommate assignments — pairing Loubens with Alicia Tournebize, both French-speaking players, has apparently slowed Loubens’ progress picking up English, an unintended side effect of housing logistics.
Staley Praises Veteran Post Leadership
Beyond the practice recap, Staley offered specific praise for her experienced post players, framing their leadership as invaluable heading into the season. Speaking broadly about having proven veterans who fully understand the program’s goals, she said: “Like, you know you have experienced [post players], both of them that understand what we’re trying to accomplish, and they’re actually doing it every day. Like, this is great.”
She then turned her attention specifically to Ashlyn Watkins, praising her growth and command of the offense: “Ash looks great. Ash is kind, connected, really knows what we want, and poised enough to see a whole lot. She’s throwing fastballs, and it’s… I mean, it’s really good to see when they become seniors and how much you don’t have to tell them, you know, what to do.”
The Bigger Picture
Taken together, Staley’s comments paint a picture of a team still working through real questions — particularly at point guard and with newcomers adjusting to the system — but buoyed by genuinely encouraging health news for two players returning from serious injuries, along with veteran leadership from seniors like Watkins who no longer need heavy instruction to execute at a high level. With Kitts and Watkins both practicing unbraced and performing well, and Daniels emerging as a pleasant surprise at the point, South Carolina appears to be building real depth and stability even amid the standard early-season uncertainties.
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