COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Head Coach Dawn Staley said it feels natural to have Ashlyn Watkins back with the team and she expects her star player to be in action this Sunday.
Staley spoke to reporters Friday ahead of Sunday's matchup against NC State. It was the first time Staley addressed Watkins' return since Watkins was reinstated after criminal charges against her were dropped.
"We're at our very best when we got our full roster, especially healthy," Staley said. "I mean, it feels good, I mean, it feels natural, it doesn't feel unnatural to us. It feels like we're complete now."
Staley said Watkins is still getting acclimated to the team's routine again after returning to practice earlier this week. She could be seen working out with the team during a media availability Friday.
Watkins was arrested on August 31 following an incident at 650 Lincoln, an on campus-student housing building at the school. Arrest warrants stated Watkins assaulted a female victim and restrained her. She was charged with assault and kidnapping.
Those charges were dismissed on November 1, however, after online court records showed she completed PTI, or pre-trial intervention. That's a program that is sometimes offered to first-time offenders where they can avoid a charge if they complete several court-ordered requirements.
"The charges have been dismissed, you know, on their way to expungement," Staley said. "Is it a hard thing for a young person to deal with? Absolutely. It was was hard for all the young people that were involved in the altercation. I mean, it's hard for our university and our athletics department. It's hard for, you know, even the solicitor's office. It's hard for her lawyers. It's hard for everybody."
"So you deal with it, head on, just like Ashlyn did and now she finds her herself back," she said. "We're not gonna keep reliving it. We're gonna keep getting better and making better decisions."
Staley was asked if she's concerned that some opposing fans might bring up the incident either with signs or by hurling insults at Watkins.
"You saw her make a terrible mistake that if she could do it all over again, [she would]. She's got teammates, she's got coaches, she's got a support system, she's got family. So, you know, people are gonna be people and she's gonna ignore them obviously. And if it gets to her to a point, then I'm gonna take up for her because that's what we're supposed to do."
Watkins is a junior on the team and is expected to be a key component of the team's defense of their national championship. She is a Columbia native and graduated from Cardinal Newman High School. The 6-foot-3 forward led the Southeastern Conference with 91 blocks last season and averaged 9.2 points a game. She was second behind WNBA first-round pick Kamilla Cardoso on the team with 7.4 rebounds a game.
The Gamecocks take on NC State at 3 p.m. Sunday in Charlotte.