Dawn Staley and South Carolina Gamecocks may have a key piece to the team just in time for the 2026-27 season tipping off on Nov. 2. Although the Gamecocks landed transfer guard Brooke Quarles-Daniels in August, her court case that gave her and several other athletes a sixth season of eligibility was still not settled.
Now, an injunction has been granted in the state of California for the Glancey V. NCAA case. The ruling, which involves Quarles-Daniels and 76 other student-athletes, officially clears the way for her and the other athletes to play this upcoming season.
Looks like Brooke Quarles-Daniels will be good to go for Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks this season thanks to this injunction https://t.co/cmdvc9cEDQ
— Michael Sauls (@mcsauls) October 20, 2026
Although the NCAA expects to appeal the ruling, it will be a tight time window for both parties to respond, as college basketball seasons are set to tip off in a few weeks.
Coach Staley spoke at SEC Tipoff last week about Quarles-Daniels' eligibility status, and said that the team was expecting her to be able to play.
“We’re optimistic,” Staley said via The State newspaper. “She’s practicing as if she’s going to be with us all season long. And if she doesn’t, if a court case does not pass, she’s still going to be with us all season long.”
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Quarles-Daniels is a veteran that brings a wealth of experience to the Gamecocks' roster. She started her career at Oakland in California before transferring to Michigan for her last two seasons. At Oakland, she had a successful two seasons with the Golden Grizzlies. Her best season as a sophomore in 2023-24, she led Oakland in scoring with 13.6 points per game, also getting 6.6 rebounds and another 2.3 steals a game.
At Michigan, her best season with the Wolverines came last year as a senior. She averaged 5.9 points a game with another 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists. On defense, she had 2.5 steals a game. The Wolverines had a huge season last year, finishing 28-7 overall with a 15-3 mark in the Big Ten. Michigan also earned a No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, and made it to the Elite Eight for just the second time in program history.
South Carolina will open the 2026 season on Nov. 2 in Paris, France against No. 20 Maryland. Quarles-Daniels will join several Gamecock newcomers, including Texas transfer Jordan Lee, five-star signees Oliviyah Edwards and Jerzy Robinson, as well as French basketball star Justine Loubens.
We'll see what happens with the NCAA's expected appeal. But for now, Quarles-Daniels is now fully cleared to play at South Carolina this season.
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