Gamecock Duo Named WBCA All-Americans
COLUMBIA, S.C. – For the first time in program history, South Carolina women’s basketball has two entries in the 10-player WBCA All-America Team with senior Raven Johnson and sophomore Joyce Edwards drawing the honors. Senior Ta’Niya Latson claimed honorable mention status, marking the third time in program history that three Gamecocks were recognized by the organization.
Johnson has picked up her first All-America honors this season after powering the Gamecocks on both sides of the ball throughout her career, including leading South Carolina to the Final Four every year of her career. This season, she is turning in career-high offensive numbers with 10.2 points per game on 50.0 percent shooting, including 41.4 percent from 3-point range, and 5.3 assists per game. In 17 games against ranked opponents, all of those numbers rise again – 11.9 points per game, 52.9 percent shooting, 50.0 percent from 3-point range and 5.6 assists per game. For those games, she has her hands on a combined 24.9 points per game, representing 31.5 percent of the total offense.
Defensively, Johnson is equally impactful, ranking second in the nation in defensive impact, per Synergy, as her presence on the court lowers opponents’ scoring by 10.9 points per 100 possessions. Ranked opponents average 0.761 points per possession when she is on the court compared to 0.823 when she is on the bench.
Edwards has been on every All-America list released this season, making her just the third Gamecock to earn that status in each of her first two seasons (Aliyah Boston 2020, 2021; A’ja Wilson 2015, 2016). The forward is putting together an offensive season for the Gamecock record books as she is tied for the program record with 22 20-point games this season. Her 749 points are just five off Katrina Anderson’s 1977-78 record (754). Edwards is third in field goals made (299) and sixth in free throws made (149).
Nationally, Edwards is 20th in scoring average at 19.7 points per game and 18th in field goal percentage at .582. She is among the SEC’s top 15 in rebounds per game (6.7), offensive rebounds per game (2.8), steals per game (1.8) and blocks per game (1.1). Edwards was on the SEC All-Tournament Team behind 17.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in leading the Gamecocks to the title game. Her 20.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in the NCAA Tournament so far put her on the NCAA. Sacramento Regional 4 All-Tournament Team as well.
Latson ranks among the SEC’s best across six different stats on both sides of the ball. She is third in the league and 20th in the nation with a 2.20 assist-to-turnover ratio. Her offensive efficiency has her ranked eighth in the league in field goal percentage (.496) and 10th in free throw percentage (.785). She comes in 13th in both assists (3.7) and steals per game (1.7), and her 14.4 points per game are 17th in the SEC.
No. 4/4 South Carolina advanced to its eighth overall and sixth-consecutive NCAA Final Four, and will face No. 1/1 UConn on Fri., April 3, at 7 p.m. ET
Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for more information on the program.
2026 WBCA All-America Team
Lauren Betts, UCLA
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Madison Booker, Texas
Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
Azzi Fudd, UConn
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Raven Johnson, South Carolina
Olivia Miles, TCU
Sarah Strong, UConn
