July 17, 2025

From the Desk of Jeremiah Donati, No. 7

DEAR GAMECOCKS:

I hope you are enjoying your summer. As we prepare for the upcoming year, I am pleased to report there is a lot going on in and around our athletics department that I want to share with you.

Over 1.45 million of you showed up to support South Carolina Athletics last year, an 8% increase! Thanks to your passion, we also hit an all-time high in Gamecock Club memberships and are on pace to top it again this year. Since arriving in Columbia I have said over and over that I have never seen a more passionate fan base – THANK YOU!

With your continued support, we’re ready to make the 2025–26 season our best yet. Let’s keep building something special together.

COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF

On Monday, Nick Barrett, LaNorris Sellers, DQ Smith and head coach Shane Beamer did a fantastic job representing South Carolina at the annual SEC Media Days in Atlanta. Check out what all four had to say from the podium.

We’re 45 days away from the 2025 season kicking off. There’s still time to secure your tickets to help us paint Atlanta Garnet & Black when we take on Virginia Tech in the Aflac Kickoff on Sunday, August 31 at 3:00pm.

Purchase Aflac Kickoff Tickets

We also have a lot of exciting things planned for the 2025 home season. If you don’t have your tickets yet, click the button below to check out our 2025 Football Hub.

2025 Football Hub

GAMECOCK NIL/REVENUE SHARING UPDATES

With the passage of the House v. NCAA settlement the new era of college sports is here. Starting this month, we have begun distributing $20.5 million in revenue directly to our student-athletes. This number will increase by 4% annually.

In addition to the revenue share, our student-athletes can continue to earn additional revenue through traditional third-party NIL deals. This remains an important and necessary source of support for our student-athletes.

As college athletics continues to evolve, our goal is to remain proactive, strategic and student-athlete centered to ensure that we can continue to compete and succeed at the highest levels. There are several meaningful ways you can support our student-athletes and be a part of the new era: Follow our student-athletes on social media, explore NIL partnership opportunities and support the Gamecock Club. To learn more, click the button below.

House v. NCAA Settlement Information

GAMECOCK SPORTS PREVIEW

The Gamecock Sports Preview presented by Founders Federal Credit Union is back at the Pastides Alumni Center on Thursday, August 21. Join myself, Kalen Anderson, Shane Beamer, Paul Mainieri, Lamont Paris and Ashley Chastain Woodard and emcee Connor Shaw as we kick off the 2025-26 athletic season.

Tickets are now on sale for Alumni Association and Gamecock Club members via the button below.

Purchase tickets for Gamecock Sports Preview

GAMECOCKS IN THE DRAFT RECAP

Congratulations to Columbia native, Collin Murray-Boyles, who was selected No. 9 overall in the first round of the NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors. He made history, as the first South Carolina player to be a lottery pick in the NBA Draft.

The MLB Draft concluded earlier this week, with junior infielder/outfielder Ethan Petry being selected in the second round by the Washington Nationals, junior outfielder Nathan Hall being selected in the fifth round by the Arizona Diamondbacks and senior pitcher Matthew Becker being picked in the 19^th round by the Minnesota Twins.

Congratulations to these student-athletes and all those student-athletes that were drafted this past year.

GAMECOCKS ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE

Congratulations to women’s basketball sophomore Joyce Edwards who helped the United States claim gold in the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. This win marked her third gold medal in as many international appearances over the last three summers. The U.S. topped Brazil to win gold, which included former Gamecock Kamilla Cardoso and incoming freshman Ayla McDowell.

Rising baseball sophomore KJ Scobey was invited to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team tryouts earlier this summer. He reflected on this experience in an interview with our Director of Content, Brad Muller.

AUGUST IS ALMOST HERE

The 2025-26 season is less than a month away and our men’s soccer, women’s soccer and volleyball teams recently released their fall schedules. I hope you can catch some games at Stone Stadium and Carolina Volleyball Center this fall! Single game tickets for all three sports are on sale now. If you want to catch all three sports and more, be sure to check out the Gamecock Go Pass, a monthly subscription mobile ticket plan that costs only $25 a month and gives you access to all three sports and more (including non-conference football games and most basketball, baseball and softball games).

Purchase the Gamecock Go Pass

NEVER TOO EARLY TO TALK BASKETBALL

While we’re still months away from the start of basketball season, the SEC released home and away opponents for both the men’s and women’s teams earlier this summer. We’re also excited that Colonial Life has agreed to extend their naming rights of our arena. I look forward to seeing you all in Colonial Life Arena this fall when basketball season tips off!

A STAR ON THE TRACK

Congratulations to JaMeesia Ford for an amazing season on the track for Carolina. JaMeesia was named the Southeast Region Women’s Track Athlete of the Year after winning the NCAA outdoor championship in the 200 meters and was runner-up in the 100 meters. She won the Commissioner’s Trophy at the SEC Outdoor Championships after claiming titles in the 100 and 200 meters. Earlier this summer, she was named a semifinalist for the Bowerman Award, one of the most prestigious awards for college track and field.

SEC FOOTBALL ON NETFLIX

On Monday, Netflix and the SEC dropped the trailer for SEC Football: Any Given Saturday, a Netflix Sports series that will offer an exclusive look at key matchups throughout last year’s SEC season. I had a chance to preview this and it was incredible – you won’t want to miss it. The series will premier on Netflix on August 5.

Check out the trailer

2025 COLLEGE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME

Congratulations to Kip Bouknight and Ray Tanner who will be inducted into the 2025 class of the College Baseball Hall of Fame in February. The duo will be Carolina’s first inductees into the Hall of Fame, which was started in 2006.

SUMMER READING

Kudos to Coach Staley on the release of her new memoir, Uncommon Favor. The book is currently on my nightstand, and I’m looking forward to finishing it soon. Her story is a powerful reminder of the impact of perseverance, purpose and leadership.

Before we know it, August will be here, all of our student-athletes and students will be back on campus and we’ll all be together in the stands cheering on our Gamecocks. I hope you and your family continue to have a great summer and I can’t wait to join you in the stands this fall!

FOREVER TO THEE!