Small active roster nothing new nor concerning for Dawn Staley, South Carolina

Heading into the 2025-26 season, many expected South Carolina women’s basketball to enter with only 11 players on the roster. However, shortly before the season began, a season-ending torn ACL for Chloe Kitts cut that number to 10.

Now, one opening night injury and subsequent suspension to Maddy McDaniel later, the Gamecock roster suits up with only nine active players.

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The number is not uncharted territory for Dawn Staley at South Carolina. During the 2017-18 season, following an early-season injury to Lindsey Spann, the Gamecocks had to spend the rest of the season with only nine players.

While the number is low, it doesn’t worry Staley. The head coach is not planning to take a walk-on simply to have an extra body in case of an emergency.

“We’re good with what we have. It’s hard. You don’t want to put that pressure on a walk-on,” Staley said. “This is the highest level that you can be, and to fill a body with a body just for the sake of it is too pressure-packed.”

That said, it does make the team hold their breath a little bit more when a player goes down hard and does not immediately get up.

“It’s like that when you’re dealing with such a small sample of a roster,” Staley said before playing Bowling Green on Sept. 6. ” … Knock on wood, hopefully not down anything but what we have now, but we’re going to play.”

Staley has seen two go-arounds with only nine players on her active roster. Her first experience with that little depth came in the 2012-13 season. That season was another that started with 10, but fell to nine following an injury to then-freshman Tiffany Mitchell.

During her first time coaching with only nine active players, Staley led the Gamecocks to a 25-8 record, falling in the second round of the NCAA Tournament after being upset by 12-seeded Kansas.

Her second season with only nine players fared a lot better by the end. During the 2017-18 season, the Gamecocks went 29-7, falling to top-seeded UCONN in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

It also helped that one of Staley’s nine was future National Player of the Year and No. 1 WNBA Draft pick A’ja Wilson.

While they failed to repeat as NCAA Champions that season, they did win the SEC Tournament for the fourth year in a row.

Similarly to Asia Dozier and Khadijah Sessions in 2012-13, as well as LeLe Grissett, Bianca Jackson and LaDazhia Williams in 2017-18, the shallow roster leads to more playing time for the freshmen. With that, it forces them to grow up quickly.

However, whether they had a full roster or not, Staley said she would have played her freshmen, Ayla McDowell and Agot Makeer.

“They’re smart. They’re bringing something to the table that we haven’t had on a consistent basis. Just, they can shoot the basketball,” Staley said.

Makeer (57.1%) is tied for the highest three-point percentage on the team with Raven Johnson. McDowell (50%) ranks right behind them, completing the podium at third. Makeer trails only Tessa Johnson in three pointers made this season, while McDowell ties for fourth.

“They have a willingness to play. Like, they have this brovado about them that you like,” Staley said. “They’re not just blending in, they’re doing what they do best all the time on a consistent basis.”

As the season goes on, wear and tear is going to build up with such a small group. However, Staley and her group are ready for the challenge ahead.

What we have, we’re going to play,” Staley said. “… We keep the emphasis on the healthy bodies that can help us win basketball games.”

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