South Carolina's 2026 commit Kelsi Andrews has faced her share of battles, and now she is fighting another one. The 6-foot-4 post from IMG Academy revealed on social media Sunday that she suffered a torn meniscus and torn bone cartilage in her knee and has already undergone successful surgery. A timetable for her recovery has not been announced yet. For Andrews, this is the third major surgery of her young career. She has torn both ACLs, her right in 2022 and the left in 2023, but the Gamecocks' commitment to her has not waivered once.
Andrews pledged to South Carolina earlier this month, calling it her "dream fit" during a ceremony at IMG Academy.“South Carolina just felt right,” she told ESPN. “The people, the culture, and the way they care about you beyond basketball reminded me why I fell in love with the game in the first place.” Her connection to the Gamecocks runs deep as well. South Carolina assistant Jolette Law began recruiting her when she was just in seventh grade, and Andrews said that through both previous surgeries, "Coach Staley never left my side, and that means everything to me."
Andrews' modern skill set has made her one of the most highly ranked forwards in the 2026 class. HoopGurlz ranks Andrews No. 18 nationally, while Rivals has her at No. 30. At 6-foot-4, she is comfortable in the paint but just as capable of knocking down perimeter shots, which is a perfect fit for Staley's squad.
If Andrews can graduate early, she could follow the same path as former Gamecocks Laeticia Amihere and Adhel Tac, who enrolled early to continue rehab under South Carolina's medical and developmental staff.
Even amid a setback as this, Andrews is resilient with fierce loyatly, something that has defined South Carolina's program under Dawn Staley. For a team that is built around culture as much as championships, it is another example of "Dawn's Daycare" taking care of one of its own.