Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks got some unlucky injury news as they are preparing for the upcoming 2026-27 season. Gamecock sophomore forward Alicia Tournebize has suffered a finger injury while practicing with the French Basketball Federation ahead of next month's World Cup.
According to an official press release via the FFBB, Tournebize suffered a finger injury during training.
"Alicia Tournebize is leaving the preparation of the French women's team for the 2026 World Cup," the release, which Google translated to English reads. "Having injured a finger in training, the South Carolina (NCAA) forward underwent medical examinations this Friday at INSEP, which confirmed an unavailability for several weeks."
Tournebize was expected to play for her home country of France during the World Cup, scheduled to begin Sept. 2. It's unclear what this means for Tournebize's status with South Carolina, which opens the season in November. The Gamecocks will play an exhibition game against the College of Charleston on Sept. 27, which is five weeks away.
It’s so unfortunate we won’t see her suit up for the World Cup but Ali is leaving training camp after injuring her finger in practice. ☹️
— WNBAGamecocks (@WNBAGamecocks) August 22, 2026
Hopefully the Gamecocks sophomore can get healthy and return to practice in the coming weeks, even if that means she has to miss the exhibition against Charleston later next month.
Coach Staley will likely look to rely more heavily on the 6-foot-7 forward in her rotation this season. As a true freshman last season, Tournebize played in 20 games for Coach Staley, averaging four points per game with 3.4 rebounds and she shot 41.8% from the floor. Her best game last season came against No. 16 seed Southern in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. She scored five points and snagged 11 rebounds during the Gamecocks' dominant 103-34 victory.
A native of Vichy, France, Tournebize played for France in the Tango Bourges Basket of France’s Ligue Feminine de BasketBal, playing for their U15 team. She also played for France during the 2025 FIBA U18 EuroBasket. She had a great performance there, leading the team with 12.1 points per game as well as 8.9 boards per game, also a team high.
Her mother, Isabelle Fijalkowski, played for the University of Colorado in college, as well as in the WNBA. She was inducted into the French Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
The Gamecocks will open the 2026-27 season on Nov. 2 with a game against Maryland in Paris, France, in what should be a great homecoming for Tournebize. Hopefully she can get healthy in time for that one. Luckily for Coach Staley, she returns several star players from last season, including Joyce Edwards, Tessa Johnson, Chloe Kitts and Agot Makeer.
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