“Triple Threat! Three Gamecock Stars Named to Prestigious Naismith Player of the Year Watchlist!”
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Three South Carolina stars have been named among the nation’s best as Raven Johnson, Ta’Niya Latson, and Joyce Edwards earned spots on the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List, presented by AXIA Time.
With three Gamecocks on the 50-player list, South Carolina is one of just five programs to feature at least three selections. The SEC led all conferences with 15 total players recognized in the preseason announcement.
Raven Johnson, now in her senior season, has been the steady heartbeat of the Gamecocks for the past three years, guiding the team to a 109–5 record, three straight Final Four appearances, and an undefeated 2024 National Championship.
Under her leadership, South Carolina has claimed three consecutive SEC regular-season and tournament titles, dropping only one league game in that span. Johnson ranks 10th all-time in program history with 410 assists and fifth in SEC play with 166, while her assist-to-turnover ratio ranks among the top 10 single-season marks three different times — including a 3.09 ratio last year, the second-best in school history.
Ta’Niya Latson, one of the top offseason additions in women’s college basketball, transferred to South Carolina after an electric career at Florida State, where she led the nation in scoring last season with 25.2 points per game.
A three-time First-Team All-ACC selection and AP Second-Team All-American, Latson owns a career scoring average of 22.5 points while shooting 44.8 percent from the field. She has reached double figures in 86 of her 93 career games, including 62 games with 20 or more points. Her résumé includes five double-doubles, a triple-double, and 68 games leading her team in scoring.
Sophomore sensation Joyce Edwards made an immediate impact last season, leading South Carolina with 12.7 points per game and ranking third in rebounding (5.0 rpg). Her stellar freshman year earned her First-Team All-SEC and All-America honorable mention recognition. Edwards shot an impressive 57.2 percent from the field (second-best in the SEC) and broke the Gamecocks’ freshman record for free-throw percentage at .777. She also earned NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team honors, averaging 11.5 points and 8.0 rebounds on championship weekend. Over the summer, she helped Team USA capture gold at the FIBA AmeriCup and represented her country in the FIBA 3×3 Nations League Americas Conference 2.
Currently ranked No. 2 nationally, South Carolina will take the floor again tonight in Atlanta, facing No. 11 North Carolina in an exhibition at State Farm Arena. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster. The Gamecocks’ home opener is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 3, against Grand Canyon at Colonial Life Arena (7 p.m., SEC Network+).
For continued updates, visit GamecocksOnline.com or follow @GamecockWBB on social media.
2025-26 Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List (South Carolina selections):
Raven Johnson
Ta’Niya Latson
Joyce Edwards
