South Carolina women’s basketball: Freshmen facing crucial roles
As the 2025–26 women’s college basketball season draws near, expectations are—as always—sky-high in Columbia. The South Carolina Gamecocks, led by the ever-formidable Dawn Staley, are coming off another deep postseason run and a top-three finish nationally. But with the departure of veteran stars to graduation and the WNBA, the spotlight now turns to Staley’s newest crop of talent: a freshman class expected not only to contribute—but to carry weighty roles from day one.
South Carolina’s 2025 recruiting class is ranked among the top in the nation, and for good reason. It’s loaded with athleticism, versatility, and high-level IQ, all trademarks of Staley’s recruiting strategy. But the reality this year is different: these freshmen won’t have the luxury of slowly developing behind upperclassmen. They’ll need to perform early and often to keep South Carolina in the national title conversation.
“They came here to compete,” said Coach Staley. “And they’re going to be tested right away. That’s how we do things in Columbia—we trust talent, but we demand growth.”
Big Shoes to Fill
The Gamecocks lost key contributors from last season’s core, including two starting guards and a defensive anchor in the post. The departures of Te-Hina Paopao, Kamilla Cardoso, and Laeticia Amihere leave sizable gaps in scoring, rebounding, and experience.
That’s why this year’s freshmen aren’t just depth pieces—they’re being tasked with helping to define the team’s identity.
Among the most talked-about newcomers:
- Imani Harris (5-star guard): An explosive combo guard out of Georgia, Harris is a playmaker with elite quickness and shot-creation. She’s already drawn comparisons to Zia Cooke and is expected to compete for a starting backcourt role.
- Noelle Washington (5-star forward): A high-motor, 6’2” hybrid wing with SEC-ready size, Washington brings intensity on both ends. Coaches believe she could become a defensive stopper and a matchup nightmare offensively.
- Tessa Chandler (4-star center): At 6’5”, Chandler brings much-needed size to the frontcourt. She’s raw but talented, and Staley has hinted she’ll play meaningful minutes early as the Gamecocks rebuild their interior presence.
- Kaylin Martin (4-star PG): A floor general with leadership instincts beyond her years. Martin’s vision, patience, and maturity could make her one of the first freshmen off the bench—or even a starter depending on preseason camp.
Coach Staley doesn’t just recruit talent—she recruits fit. Her motion-heavy, defensive-minded system thrives with smart, athletic, selfless players. That’s why this freshman class is so important: they’re built for the style of basketball South Carolina demands.
This year’s team will likely lean more on speed and spacing, with a quicker tempo and more switching defensively. In that context, players like Harris and Washington are seen as perfectly suited to evolve the Gamecocks into a faster, more dynamic version of themselves.
Expect more positionless basketball, more trapping, and more three-point shooting—a shift made possible by this class’s unique skill set.
“We want to dictate, not react,” said Staley. “These freshmen are going to help us do that.”
The Gamecocks do return some key veterans, including Ashlyn Watkins, Sania Feagin, and Raven Johnson. Their experience will be crucial, particularly in mentoring the freshmen through SEC play and early non-conference tests.
But with such a young rotation, the challenge will be balancing development with urgency. This isn’t a rebuilding year—South Carolina expects to contend for the Final Four, even as it transitions to a new core.
Staley has built a culture where freshmen are expected to be ready. Look no further than Aliyah Boston or A’ja Wilson, both of whom made immediate impacts in their freshman campaigns. While comparing anyone to those legends is lofty, this class is entering under similar expectations.
If you’re a freshman on this roster, there’s no hiding.
South Carolina’s non-conference schedule is once again among the toughest in the country, featuring early matchups against UConn, Iowa, and a preseason tournament that includes Stanford and Texas. The goal: test the team early and prepare them for March.
These games will be national showcases—and for the freshmen, auditions on the biggest stage. They’ll be defending future WNBA picks and playing in front of sold-out crowds. No warm-up games. No easing in.
But for this group, that’s the appeal of coming to South Carolina.
“They came to Columbia knowing what the standard is,” said associate head coach Lisa Boyer. “They didn’t just want minutes—they wanted moments.”
With such a young core, leadership becomes even more critical. Veterans like Raven Johnson will be asked to set the tone, both on the court and in the locker room. But Coach Staley has emphasized that leadership isn’t reserved for upperclassmen.
Players like Kaylin Martin have already shown vocal presence during workouts, and Staley has praised Harris for her intensity and coachability.
In a program where culture matters as much as box scores, the ability of freshmen to buy in, lead by example, and handle accountability will determine how far the team goes.
Looking back at Staley’s tenure, she has never hesitated to give big roles to young players. Consider:
- In 2015, A’ja Wilson averaged 13.1 PPG off the bench as a freshman.
- In 2020, Aliyah Boston was named National Freshman of the Year and helped lead USC to a No. 1 ranking.
- In 2023, Raven Johnson took over point guard duties midseason as a redshirt freshman.
History suggests that opportunity is earned—not withheld—at South Carolina. This class will be given the runway. Now it’s about how far they can fly.
Gamecock Nation is buzzing with excitement over the freshman class, but there’s also a recognition that growing pains are inevitable. SEC competition is unforgiving, and the target on South Carolina’s back remains as large as ever.
Still, fans trust in Staley’s process. With each year, she has proven capable of molding raw talent into national title contenders. This class, though young, is no exception.
If the freshmen find their stride by February, South Carolina could once again find itself cutting down nets in the postseason.
The South Carolina women’s basketball team has reached a point where “rebuilding” is never really rebuilding—it’s reloading. And this year, that reload centers on one of the most promising freshman classes in the country.
With elite talent, a demanding system, and a coach who believes in throwing her players into the fire, this class has both the opportunity and the challenge of proving they belong on the biggest stage.
The roles are crucial.
The pressure is real.
And the Gamecocks’ future may just depend on how fast these freshmen rise to the moment.
