There have been several incidents involving the University of South Carolina’s women’s basketball team that have attracted attention over the past year.
However, as of now, there is no information indicating that the team has been fined for misconduct.
1. SEC Championship Game Scuffle (March 2024):
In the SEC Championship game against LSU, a near-brawl occurred, leading to multiple ejections. South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso was among those ejected after shoving LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson to the floor. Cardoso was subsequently suspended for the first round of the NCAA Tournament. She later issued an apology, acknowledging that her actions were not representative of her or the South Carolina program.
2. Ashlyn Watkins’ Legal Issues (August 2024):
Forward Ashlyn Watkins was arrested on charges of assault and kidnapping in August 2024. She was suspended from all team activities following the incident. The charges were dismissed in November 2024 after Watkins completed a pre-trial intervention program. Despite the dismissal, her status with the team remained uncertain at that time.
3. Court Storming Incident (January 2024):
After a significant win over Kentucky, South Carolina fans stormed the court, leading to a $100,000 fine from the Southeastern Conference (SEC). This was the first offense under the SEC’s new policy, which imposes escalating fines for repeated incidents.
4. Team Discipline Measures:
Head coach Dawn Staley has taken disciplinary actions against players for conduct detrimental to the team. Notably, forward Sahnya Jah was suspended indefinitely in February 2024. The specific reasons for these suspensions were not publicly disclosed.
While these events have raised concerns, there is no public record of the team being fined for misconduct. The university and coaching staff have addressed these issues internally, emphasizing accountability and sportsmanship.
