Basketball <\/p>\n
South Carolina\u2019s women\u2019s basketball team will head into this season without one of its key players.<\/p>\n
Ashlyn Watkins announced on Instagram that she is \u201cgoing to take some time off\u201d and will be back for the 2026-27 season. While Watkins didn\u2019t play much last season \u2014 missing time because of a suspension and then suffering a season-ending injury \u2014 she was a crucial part of the Gamecocks\u2019 2024 national championship team, averaging 9.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game as a sophomore.<\/p>\n
Watkins wrote in her social media post<\/a> on Friday: \u201cAs most of you know, this past year has been a roller coaster for me. I usually like to keep my personal life private, but every time I step out into the community, I realize I\u2019m not alone in this journey. So many of you have shown me love and encouragement, and because of that, I feel like l owe you a little insight into what\u2019s been going on… I\u2019m so grateful for my coaches, the USC medical team, my teammates, and everyone who\u2019s supported me along the way. For now, I\u2019ll be cheering on my team and working hard to come back even stronger in the 2026-27 season.\u201d<\/p>\n After a standout performance in the 2024 national semifinals where she had eight points and 20 rebounds against N.C. State, Watkins seemed poised for a bigger role with the Gamecocks as a junior, especially since Kamilla Cardoso had graduated and was off in the WNBA<\/a>. But that promising outlook quickly turned tumultuous after she was arrested late last August and charged with assault and battery<\/a> in the first degree and kidnapping.<\/p>\n Watkins was suspended from the team, but reinstated after completing a pre-trial intervention program. The charges were dropped in early November and Watkins missed just one game.<\/p>\n Her season seemed to be back on track after that incident. The 6-foot-3 Watkins threw down a fast-break dunk for the Gamecocks in a win over TCU<\/a>, showing off some of the athleticism that helped her rank fifth in the nation in blocked shots as a sophomore. Watkins is the owner of the only two dunks in the history of South Carolina women\u2019s basketball.<\/p>\n Then on Jan. 5 against Mississippi State, Watkins\u2019 junior season ended when she tore her ACL. While the Gamecocks made the national championship game without her, Watkins\u2019 versatility and knack for rebounding and protecting the rim were missed at times. Before her injury, Watkins averaged 7.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game across 14 contests.<\/p>\n