Ashlyn Watkins returns to South Carolina women's basketball after legal charges dropped
11/06/2024 02:24 PM
South Carolina women’s basketball forward Ashlyn Watkins is back with the team after charges of assault and kidnapping from Aug. 31 were dismissed. She had been suspended from the team since that date.
“With the dismissal of the legal charges, South Carolina junior forward Ashlyn Watkins has returned to team activities beginning with practice today,” the South Carolina women’s basketball said in a statement, according to Matt Dowell of WACH FOX.
Watkins was not with the team for South Carolina women’s basketball’s season opening 68-62 win over Michigan in Las Vegas on Monday, and was not with the team when it visited the White House to celebrate last season’s national championship victory.
Court records indicate that Watkins’ charges were dismissed on Nov. 1, and now the suspension from the program has been lifted. She has been an important player for South Carolina, and is expected to continue being an important player for this year’s team, in perhaps an even bigger role for Dawn Staley’s team.
We will have to follow reporting to see when Watkins will return to game action, it will be worth monitoring reports to see if Watkins has to get back up to speed with the team and in regards to conditioning.
South Carolina women’s basketball’s upcoming schedule with Ashlyn Watkins returning
South Carolina’s next game will be on Sunday against No. 9 NC State at the Ally Center. It is another big early season showcase game for the Gamecocks, and it will be interesting to see if Watkins is ready to return right away, even if it is off of the bench to start working him into the rotation.
The following three games should be winnable for South Carolina against Coppin State, East Carolina and Clemson, before two huge games against No. 5 UCLA and No. 8 Iowa State. It would be a surprise if Watkins is not fully up to speed by the time those two games come around.
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