South Carolina Women’s Basketball: Gamecocks add Penn State transfer Lindsey Spann

The defending National Champion South Carolina Gamecocks got a big boost with transfer Lindsey Spann joining the team.

The South Carolina Gamecocks will look completely different from the team that they jotted out in their NCAA National Title game victory. The Gamecocks lost three starters to the WNBA draft and also senior Tiffany Davis following the season.

But Head Coach Dawn Staley has done a good job replenishing the roster. Staley got a huge coup with Penn State transfer Lindsey Spann deciding to join the Gamecocks on Monday. Spann, who graduated from PSU, is immediately eligible due to the NCAA graduate transfer rules. She will have one year of eligibility remaining.

Spann is a prolific three-point shooter who topped the 1,000 point plateau in three seasons with the Nittany Lions. The 5’6″ point guard averaged 10.5 points while shooting just 37.7% from the field and 29.8% on three-point attempts in 2016-17. She ranks eighth all-time in PSU history with 143 triples and 11th in free throw percentage (80%).

While the early departures of Kaela Davis and Allisha Gray make the Gamecocks’ chances of defending their title less likely, the cupboard is hardly bare. Two-time reigning SEC Player Of the Year A’ja Wilson leads the returnees, as she is back for her senior campaign.  Senior guard Bianca Cuevas-Moore also returns, as do Tyasha Harris and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan.

Spann is the fifth player that Staley has brought in this spring. Joining Spann as newcomers are incoming freshmen Bianca Jackson, Elisia Grissett, Haley Troup, and LazDazhia Williams. Jackson, Grissett, and Williams are all rated as five-star recruits by HoopGurlz. Troup is a three-star guard according to HoopGurlz.

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South Carolina will also the service of Kentucky transfer Alexis Jennings. Jennings, who sat out last season, will have two years of eligibility left.  Jennings contributed 10.2 points and 7.1 rebounds in 2015-16 for the Wildcats.