Following a rough athletic year that saw her arrested and suffer a season-ending knee injury, South Carolina women’s basketball forward Ashlyn Watkins has decided to spend this upcoming season on the sidelines. The rising senior announced her decision via social media on Friday, vowing to return for the 2026-27 campaign.
Watkins tore her ACL on January 5th in USC’s 95-68 win over Mississippi State and missed the remainder of the season. She averaged seven points and six rebounds in her fourteen games with the Gamecocks.
Prior to the start of the season, Watkins was arrested in August and charged with first-degree assault and battery and kidnapping. Following her arrest, she was suspended from all team activities, only being reinstated after completing a pre-trial intervention program. Watkins returned to practice in early November and competed in her first game against NC State on November 10th.
It speaks volumes that Ashlyn was able to do what’s right for her, the team and fans, showing a lot of humility for someone that young in this day and age.