South Carolina women's basketball will be represented by three powerhouse talents this summer as international play heats up. Joyce Edwards, Kamilla Cardoso, and Ayla McDowell have all earned spots on the roster for their respective national teams for the FIBA AmeriCup in Santiago, Chile from June 28-July 6.
After impressing at the USA Basketball trials, South Carolina star Joyce Edwards was officially named to the 12-player Team USA roster for the FIBA Women's AmeriCup. This is her third time wearing red, white, and blue. Edwards was previously on Team USA's gold medal winning squad in the 2023 AmeriCup and 2024 World Cup. Edwards is one of 12 players to make the cut.
Edwards is coming off of a stellar season with the Gamecocks where she earned First-Team All-SEC, Freshman All-American, and Honorable Mention All-American honors. She led the Gamecocks last season with 12.7 points per game, all while coming off the bench. Edwards also shot over 52% from the floor and made her presence felt with rebounds, steals, and versatility on both ends of the paint. It is no wonder that she has been tapped again to represent the USA on the court.
And it is not just Team USA that will be representing the Garnet and Black. Former South Carolina legend Kamilla Cardoso and incoming five-star freshman Ayla McDowell have also both been selected to Team Brazil's roster for the AmeriCup.
Of course, for Cardoso, it is familiar territory as she has played for Team Brazil for five years, also being named the 2023 AmeriCup MVP after leading Brazil to a gold medal over the United States, nonetheless. Cardoso is now a rookie standout for the Chicago Sky, which allowed her to be excused from early camp workouts to wrap up WNBA play before heading south to Santiago.
McDowell, on the other hand, will be making her first appearance at the AmeriCup. The incoming freshman already has some international experience after playing in the U18 version last summer. With McDowell's arrival on campus later this month, she is expected to compete for early game time on Dawn Staley's very stacked roster next season.
The Gamecocks continue to prove that they are not only a national powerhouse, but a global one too. From high school phenoms to decorated veterans, the pipeline from South Carolina to international courts prove that the Gamecocks are impacting the game worldwide.