South Carolina Women's Basketball Looks to Transfer Portal for Talent

Head coach Dawn Staley seeks to fill key roster gaps after national championship loss

Apr. 9, 2026 at 6:08pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the action and energy of a women's basketball game, with sharp geometric shapes and planes in navy, red, and gold colors.South Carolina's quest to reload its roster through the transfer portal aims to maintain the program's championship-caliber talent and athleticism.Columbia Today

After a tough loss in the national championship game, South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley is already looking ahead to next season and plans to utilize the transfer portal to address specific needs on her roster. The Gamecocks lost four starters, including their starting point guard and shooting guard, and Staley has identified guard play and athleticism as areas that need to be addressed through the transfer market.

Why it matters

South Carolina has been a powerhouse in women's college basketball in recent years, winning the national title in 2017 and making the Final Four multiple times under Staley's leadership. Maintaining that level of success will require Staley to effectively navigate the transfer portal and bring in the right talent to replace the key contributors the team is losing.

The details

The Gamecocks are losing four starters from their national championship game roster, including point guard Raven Johnson and shooting guard Ta'Niya Latson. Staley acknowledged the need to add more guard depth and athleticism to the roster through the transfer portal in order to remain competitive at the highest level of women's college basketball.

  • South Carolina's season ended on April 5 with a loss to UCLA in the national championship game.
  • Staley's comments about using the transfer portal came shortly after the team's season concluded.

The players

Dawn Staley

The head coach of the South Carolina women's basketball team, who has led the Gamecocks to great success including a national championship in 2017.

Raven Johnson

South Carolina's starting point guard who is one of the four starters the team is losing from its national championship game roster.

Ta'Niya Latson

South Carolina's starting shooting guard who is one of the four starters the team is losing from its national championship game roster.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We got to add some guard play, definitely some lead guard play, some more athleticism in the guard department.”

— Dawn Staley, Head Coach, South Carolina Women's Basketball

What’s next

Staley and her staff will be active in the transfer portal in the coming weeks and months, looking to bring in new talent to replace the key contributors they are losing from this year's national championship game roster.

The takeaway

Maintaining a championship-caliber women's basketball program requires constant roster replenishment, and Dawn Staley is wasting no time addressing South Carolina's personnel needs through the transfer portal. Her comments indicate a clear focus on upgrading the team's guard play and overall athleticism as the Gamecocks look to make another deep NCAA Tournament run next season.