Staley Adds Transfer Kamilla Cardoso to 2021-22 Roster
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley announced that 2021 ACC Freshman of the Year and co-Defender of the Year Kamilla Cardoso has signed a financial aid agreement to attend the University and play for the Gamecocks. Cardoso, who played for Syracuse in 2019-20, will be eligible to play in the 2021-22 season and have as many as four seasons of eligibility remaining.
“Kamilla is a perfect complement to our program,” Staley said. “Coming from a traditionally rich grassroots program, her mobility, rebounding prowess and scoring ability at her size is a rarity. When she’s on the court the FAMS will quickly see why she was named the ACC Freshman of the Year and Co-Defender of the Year.”
In her debut season at Syracuse, Cardoso posted 13.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game to earn a spot on the All-ACC First Team in addition to her other awards. With five double-doubles, Cardoso posted 20 double-digit scoring games, including three 20-point outings. Her efforts helped the Orange to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and a fourth-place finish in the ACC. Cardoso was 16th in the ACC in scoring, ninth in rebounding and led the league in blocked shots. Shooting 57.6 percent from the field, she ranked second in the league in that category.
Prior to Syracuse, Cardoso played four seasons at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tenn., after moving to the United States from Montes Claros, Brazil, when she was 15 years old. At Hamilton Heights, she averaged 24.1 points, 15.8 rebounds and 9.2 blocks as a senior to earn 2020 McDonald’s All-America status. She was ranked the No. 1 center and No. 5 overall player in the Class of 2020.
Cardoso joins a 2021-22 roster that returns all 11 Gamecocks from the 2021 NCAA Final Four team while also adding the No. 1 signing class of Sania Feagin (Ellenwood, Ga./Forest Park), Bree Hall (Dayton, Ohio/Wayne HS), Raven Johnson (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake HS) and Saniya Rivers (Wilmington, N.C./Ashley HS).
