June 7, 2011

COLUMBIA, S.C. – University of South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley announced that Pamela Decheva has signed an SEC Financial Aid Agreement and will play for the Gamecocks. She will have four years of eligibility beginning with the 2011-12 academic year.

“We are excited about the skill and experience Pamela brings to our team,” Staley said. “She adds depth to our forward position and has the versatility to see action on the perimeter.”

Decheva, a six-foot forward, has participated in FIBA Europe competitions with her national team since 2007, beginning at the U-16 level. She has been on Bulgaria’s U-20 roster the last two seasons. In 2009-10, she played in 13 games, adding 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game to her national team’s efforts. In 2010-11, Decheva joined Levski of the Women’s National Basketball League in Bulgaria. With a 13-7 record, her team advanced to the league finals. Decheva added 2.6 points and 1.5 rebounds per game, shooting 64.3 percent from two-point range. She twice netted a season-high 13 points against Slavia.

Decheva joins a signing class that in the fall was ranked No. 12th in the nation by Blue Star Basketball and 23rd by ESPN HoopGurlz. The group includes spring signees Shelbretta Ball (Jackson, Miss./Jackson Academy) and Sancheon White (Hammond, Ind./Central Arizona College) and fall signees Elem Ibiam (Fayetteville, Ga./Fayette County), Tina Roy (Kaplan, La./Kaplan) and Aleighsa Welch (Goose Creek, S.C./Goose Creek).