Winston Gandy

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley added Winston Gandy to the Gamecocks’ staff in April 2023, bringing his six years of NCAA Division I coaching experience and three seasons of NBA player development to her veteran staff.

In six seasons on a college sideline, Winston has helped his teams to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 2024 National Championship, and one WNIT showing. While amassing three regular-season conference titles and three conference tournament crowns, his teams have featured one conference player of the year, three conference defensive player of the year selections and one conference sixth woman of the year. Six first-team and four second- team all-conference selections have included four conference all-defensive team recognitions.

In his first season, Gandy’s work with the Gamecock guards helped South Carolina ranked third in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage in 2023-24, led by national leader Te-Hina Paopao’s 46.8 percent accuracy, which ranked third in program history. The Gamecocks turned in just the 10th undefeated National Championship season in NCAA history.

In Gandy’s three seasons at Duke, the Blue Devils amassed a 46-21 record, which was abbreviated by the team choosing not to participate in the 2020-21 season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Gandy was hired prior to the 2020-21 season as an assistant coach and was elevated to associate head coach ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. His final season in Durham was the team’s best as Duke finished second in the ACC with a 14-4 mark that helped them close the season at No. 13/16 in the national polls and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Celeste Taylor was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was a first-team All-ACC selection.

Gandy got back into college coaching as an assistant coach at Rice for the 2017-18 season and was promoted to associate head coach ahead of the 2019-20 season. In his three seasons at Rice, the Owls won two Conference USA regular-season championships (2019, 2020) and claimed the 2019 C-USA Tournament title. Reaching the 20-in plateau every year of his tenure, Rice played in the WNIT in his first season (2018) and reached the NCAA Tournament the following season when they posted a program-record 28 wins. An Owl was named C-USA Player of the Year twice, and they twice had the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year.

Gandy got his player development start in the NBA with the Washington Wizards, serving as the organization’s coordinator of player development for three seasons, highlighted by work with several NBA All-Stars, including John Wall and Bradley Beal.

After graduating from University of Maryland in 2013 with a degree in economics, Gandy began his coaching journey by serving as the Terrapins’ director of recruiting operations. It continued a relationship with the team for which he was a practice player through his time as a student in College Park (2009-13).

The Gandy Capsule

Coaching Experience

South Carolina, assistant coach, 2023-present
Duke, associate head coach, 2022-23
Duke, assistant coach, 2020-22
Rice, associated head coach, 2019-20
Rice, assistant coach, 2017-19

Other Experience

Washington Wizards, coordinator of player development, 2014-17
Maryland, director of recruiting operations, 2013-14

Education

University of Maryland, economics, 2013