South Carolina Gamecocks News: Football, basketball, baseball, NCAA Tournament, and more
By Kevin Miller
The latest South Carolina Gamecocks news from the last week, starting with a few recruiting and transfer portal updates from Shane Beamer's team.
4-star safety Lagonza Hayward named the Gamecocks one of his three favorite schools. The Tennessee Volunteers have long been the leader for his services, but USC has closed the gap a good bit.
The South Carolina football program made the top-7 list for athletic tight end prospect Carter Bashir from Pennsylvania.
Former Gamecock running back Rashad Amos has made a commitment to a new school in the transfer portal. Now committed to Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels, Amos had previously been pledged to both the Colorado Buffaloes and Mississippi State Bulldogs this offseason.
A former Gamecock has gotten a new NFL opportunity and set a South Carolina football record.
Wide receiver Damiere Byrd signed a new contract with the Washington Commanders. The deal is significant because no other wide receiver alum in program history has played 10 years in the NFL. Byrd is entering his 10th season this fall.
A former Gamecock is getting into the coaching world.
Jamyest Williams, a player who spent three years with the program as a defensive back before transferring to Georgia State as a combo running back and secondary player, is now the defensive backs coach at Mount Vernon High School in Georgia.
Lamont Paris has the Gamecocks in a good position to land a talented recruit, but the battle is not over.
Jamie Vinson, a former Vanderbilt Commodore signee, visited Columbia last week and had a good experience. He also visited Rutgers this weekend and is visiting Kentucky. Several other schools are looking to get involves, as well, so this recruitment isn't over.
The Gamecocks added a walk-on commitment from Weston Coggeshall. Coggeshall is an in-state player from Philip Simmons High School and primarily plays on the wing as a shooting guard.
Two former South Carolina basketball players found new homes in the transfer portal.
Center Josh Gray is the newest member of the Missouri Tigers. Earlier this offseason, the Gamecocks took a commitment from Missouri power forward/center Jordan Butler.
Reserve Ebrima Dibba signed with the Cleveland State Vikings.
A new game has been added to the Gamecocks' 2024-2025 schedule.
An out-of-conference matchup against the North Florida Ospreys is being added to the schedule.
Speaking of schedules, the 2024-2025 SEC schedules has been announced for both the South Carolina basketball men's team and women's team.
You can see the men's schedule here.
You can see the women's schedule here.
Dawn Staley's prize recruit has received another honor.
Joyce Edwards will be part of the U18 Team USA squad this summer in the AmeriCup. She was one of just 12 invitees from the high school classes of 2024 and 2025 (out of 26) to make the team.
Edwards' recruiting class finished as one of the best in the country.
All three Gamecock signees are 5-star prospects as Joyce Edwards, Maddy McDaniel, and Adhel Tac make up one of just four classes with three 5-star prospects incoming.
For reasons unknown, the Gamecocks were not picked as the top team in one preseason poll.
On3's Talia Goodman ranked South Carolina basketball #2, slotting the Gamecocks in behind the Southern Cal Trojans.
Mark Kingston's South Carolina baseball team continues its skid.
Ending the regular season, Carolina lost six games in a row as they were swept by the Tennessee Volunteers this weekend.
USC will be the 10-seed in this week's SEC Tournament and will match up with the Alabama Crimson Tide in the single-elimination portion of the tournament. Both teams are on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
South Carolina softball's season ended in the Regional round of the NCAA Tournament.
Bev Smith's team beat Utah twice and was the runner-up in the Durham Regional. The Gamecocks couldn't beat the Duke Blue Devils, though, and two losses to the Regional host ended their season.