Who leaves? Who comes back? Previewing South Carolina WBB’s 2026 roster
The 2025-26 South Carolina women’s basketball season is over after the Gamecocks lost to UCLA in Sunday’s national championship game.
So, what will Dawn Staley’s USC roster look like in 2026-27?
Among the 12 players on this year’s South Carolina roster, eight have at least one year of eligibility remaining. There are three outgoing seniors who can’t return.
Staley’s program is also waiting for clarification on center Madina Okot’s remaining eligibility, will bring in three freshman recruits and should get veteran forward Ashlyn Watkins back after a one-year break from basketball. USC will also utilize the NCAA transfer portal, which opens Monday, Staley said postgame.
Here’s a player-by-player breakdown:
Leaving (3 players)
- G Raven Johnson
- G Ta’Niya Latson
- F Maryam Dauda
Johnson, Latson and Dauda are all out of eligibility. Johnson, a fan favorite and USC’s longtime starting point guard, leaves the Gamecocks as one of the winningest players in team history. Latson was a starter and double-digit scorer in her one season with USC after transferring in from Florida State, while Dauda (Arkansas) played two seasons with South Carolina as a backup.
Wait and see (1 player)
- C Madina Okot
Okot was listed as a senior this year, but she started her career playing in Kenya and has only played two seasons of Division I basketball. Staley said the program is trying to get clarification on if Okot (who played at Mississippi State in 2024-25) has any remaining NCAA eligibility.
A decision on a potential return must come soon, as Okot must decide whether or not to enter the WNBA Draft pool in the next 48 hours.
Eligible to return (9 players)
- F Chloe Kitts
- G Tessa Johnson
- G Maddy McDaniel
- F Joyce Edwards
- F Adhel Tac
- G Ayla McDowell
- G Agot Makeer
- F Alicia Tournebize
- F Ashlyn Watkins
Kitts, who missed the entire 2025-26 season with a torn ACL, could’ve left for the WNBA but decided to come back for a fifth season at USC. She’ll slide right back into the starting lineup with Johnson and Edwards and give South Carolina an experienced, productive core trio.
McDaniel has been labeled “next up” at point guard after playing behind Johnson the last two seasons. Makeer emerged as a key rotation player in the NCAA Tournament, and the 6-foot-7 Tournebize flashed potential after joining USC from France in the middle of the season.
Depth players McDowell and Tac also have remaining eligibility, and Staley said in March that South Carolina expects Watkins to return this summer. Watkins stepped away from the Gamecocks in 2025-26 after a tumultuous sophomore season.
The incoming freshmen (3 players)
- G Jerzy Robinson
- F Kelsi Andrews
- F Kaeli Wynn
Robinson (No. 3), Andrews (No. 18) and Wynn (No. 26) all rank as five-star recruits and top 30 overall players in the Class of 2026, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings that factor in multiple outlets.
Andrews and Wynn are formally signed, and Robinson will sign in April.
Previewing South Carolina WBB’s transfer portal strategy
If everyone on South Carolina’s roster with remaining eligibility comes back for 2026-27, USC would have nine returners and three true freshmen on its roster for a total of 12 players. If Okot’s able to get another year of eligibility, it’d be 13.
In other words: Even with 100% retention, the Gamecocks would still have two or three open scholarship spots remaining for transfers. Division I college women’s basketball teams can have up to 15 players on their rosters.
And that’s assuming South Carolina’s entire roster returns. If any current Gamecocks decide to hit the portal, their departures would open up additional scholarship spots.
USC has a ton of talent in the frontcourt, but with Johnson and Latson both graduating, Staley said Sunday that she wants to pursue a “lead guard” in the portal.
