South Carolina Gamecocks News: Updates from recruiting and the transfer portal, basketball, baseball, and more

The latest South Carolina Gamecocks news from the last week, starting with an update from the world of football recruiting.

5-star outside linebacker/EDGE prospect Zayden Walker revealed that he will make his college decision public July 5th. The Gamecocks are believed to be at the top of his recruitment along with the Georgia Bulldogs. Walker is the younger brother of incoming Gamecock freshman Jalewis Solomon.

In-state 4-star guard Shed Sarratt has also announced his commitment date. The Gaffney product will pledge his service to a college program on June 14th, his grandmother's birthday. USC is the favorite at this point to land Sarratt.

4-star safety Lagonza Hayward included South Carolina football in his top-7.

3-star linebacker target Sam Haley announced his commitment to the TCU Horned Frogs.

The transfer portal, though closed, still yielded some news related to the South Carolina football program.

Defensive lineman Drew Tuazama has entered the transfer portal. It is unclear if Tuazama entered the portal prior to the May 1st deadline and news was slow to come out about it, or if Tuazama entered the transfer portal after the deadline. If late, he would not be eligible next season at his new school.

With Tuazama's departure, the Gamecocks opened up a scholarship spot that they would like to fill with an offensive lineman. Enokk Vimahi (Ohio State Buckeyes) and Steven Hubbard (UTEP Miners) visited last week, but Vimahi committed to the Washington Huskies, and Hubbard remains committed to the Vanderbilt Commodores. Carolina will conduct a home visit with UT-Chattanooga transfer and All-Southern Conference right tackle Colin Truett.

Players like Truett who entered the transfer portal prior to the May 1st deadline still are able to visit and make commitments while retaining their eligibility for next season, as long as they are eligible academically at their new school.

In news that surprised no one, Shane Beamer officially announced his starting quarterback last week.

Redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers will be the man for the Gamecocks this year. Beamer told Saturdays Down South's Connor O'Gara and the media at a Welcome Home Tour stop that Sellers had won the job out of spring practice.

A former Gamecock coach is joining a bitter rival.

Former defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward will be an off-field assistant coach for the Clemson Tigers this fall.

South Carolina basketball was in the news from a recruiting standpoint, as well.

4-star Gamecock signee Trent Noah asked out of his signed NLI to the University of South Carolina. Lamont Paris and USC obliged, and Noah committed to his home state Kentucky Wildcats.

Another class of 2024 prospect has come up on the Gamecocks' radar as Paris and company look to fill the team's final roster spot. Former Vanderbilt Commodores signee Jamie Vinson (who was released from his NLI after former Vandy coach Jerry Stackhouse was fired) is a 6'10" post player who has a wingspan over 7'4" and outside shooting touch. He will visit the Gamecocks this week.

A former Gamecock great is back in Columbia as a head coach.

The new head coach at Gray Collegiate is former Gamecock Carlos Powell. Powell had a great run as the head coach of his alma mater Wilson High School before moving back to the Midlands.

Dawn Staley's prize recruit continues making headlines.

Incoming 5-star freshman Joyce Edwards received another national honor as one of just five total player to make the SLAM All-American team.

Edwards and fellow incoming freshman Maddy McDaniel have been invited to compete for a spot on the U19 Team USA.

South Carolina basketball star Kamilla Cardoso will not play at the start of the WNBA season.

The former Gamecock will miss the start of her rookie season with the Chicago Sky as she injured her shoulder in her team's first preseason game.

South Carolina basketball legend A'ja Wilson finally has her signature shoe announced.

Wilson's A'One shoe will release in 2025.

South Carolina baseball had an awful weekend.

For the first time since 2019, the Gamecocks were swept at home in SEC play as they got smacked around by the rival Georgia Bulldogs. The Gamecocks surrendered 39 runs in the three-game beatdown and have lost almost any chance of hosting a Regional. Another bad weekend in the final series of the regular season (on the road against the Tennessee Volunteers) could spell potential disaster for the Gamecocks' postseason chance altogether.

South Carolina softball earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

After beating the Mississippi State Bulldogs and losing to the Texas A&M Aggies at the SEC Tournament, the Gamecocks held up their end of the bargain as all 13 softball programs in the conference received an NCAA Tournament bid.

The Gamecocks are a 2-seed in the tournament and will play against the 3-seed Utah Utes in the Durham, North Carolina Regional (Duke Blue Devils). The Morgan State Bears are the other team in the bracket and will play against Duke.