Staley, Gamecocks add Virginia transfer center Sarah Imovbioh

Sounds familiar – South Carolina landed an impact player from Virginia.

Cavaliers alum Dawn Staley announced Monday that Sarah Imovbioh has committed to USC for the 2015-16 season. Imovbioh, a 6-foot-2 center transfer from Virginia, will graduate in May and be immediately eligible for her final season.

“The official word is in Sarah Imovbioh aka @giggles_42 has signed to be a Gamecock!,” Staley tweeted on Monday morning. “Gamecock nation please help me welcome Sarah!”

Imovbioh tweeted, “A rooster woke me up this morning.”

Imovbioh, a native of Nigeria, led the ACC with 10.8 rebounds per game last season. She yanked 334 boards, the third-highest single-season total in program history, and was the Cavs’ second-leading scorer with 12.6 points per game.

Imovbioh supplies an immediate boost. She could slide into the power forward spot vacated by senior Aleighsa Welch or senior Elem Ibiam’s center spot. Welch finished as USC’s career leader in offensive rebounds while Ibiam started all 71 games over the past two seasons.

Imovbioh prepped at St. Anne’s-Belfield (Va.) High School and was a Parade All-American, ranked the No. 15 overall recruit in the country. She had to sit out her freshman season due to NCAA restrictions around her high-school enrollment while in Nigeria, but she blossomed into one of the best centers in the ACC over the next three seasons.

Virginia finished its season on March 19 with a first-round exit from the WNIT. On April 6, Imovbioh announced her intent to transfer.

She chose the Gamecocks over Maryland, Ohio State and James Madison. She could start right away – USC lost Ibiam along with Welch, but rising junior Alaina Coates (6-4) is expected to step into a starting role.

Imovbioh and Coates could start in the post alongside guards Khadijah Sessions, Asia Dozier and two-time SEC Player of the Year Tiffany Mitchell, or Staley could throw rising sophomore A’ja Wilson, the 6-5 SEC Freshman of the Year, into the mix at guard or forward.

USC also has rising sophomore Jatarie White (6-4). White, a Top 10 recruit, was hindered by injuries as a freshman but Staley has been very complimentary of her skill.

USC has 13 of 15 scholarships accounted for next season. Staley has usually kept two or three scholarships open per season, playing last year with the deepest bench of her tenure.

Imovbioh is the second and perhaps final commitment of the class. The Gamecocks signed Canadian guard Shay Colley in November.

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This story was originally published April 27, 2015 at 11:17 AM with the headline "Staley, Gamecocks add Virginia transfer center Sarah Imovbioh."