Dawn Staley, South Carolina Gamecocks (Image Credits: IMAGN, Instagram/@gamecockswbb)Dawn Staley, South Carolina Gamecocks (Image Credits: IMAGN, Instagram/@gamecockswbb)

Dawn Staley and her South Carolina squad are all ready for the new season. The Gamecocks will play their first game against Michigan in Las Vegas on Monday as part of the Hall Of Fame Series.

Dawn Staley boarded the flight to Vegas with her team on Saturday, and the Gamecocks shared photos of the players with the coach, who was spotted carrying her $1,499 Louis Vuitton bag and dressed in a black Gamecocks t-shirt and sweatpants.

Check out photos of the team below.

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After winning the 2024 NCAA championship, Dawn Staley has lost key player Kamilla Cardoso who was drafted into the WNBA by the Chicago Sky. Despite this, South Carolina holds the No. 1 spot in pre-season polls and is favored to go back-to-back.

Players like MiLaysia Fulwiley, Raven Johnson, Te-Hina Paopao and Sakima Walker are expected to play important roles in the Gamecocks’ pursuit of defending their title.

However, Dawn Staley has noted that the lack of experienced players could be a weakness for her team going into the new season.

“It’s probably a little toughness, and just playing faster more often,” Staley said. “I think our players are really trying to play the right way. They’re a pretty unselfish basketball team. So, I think we just got to work out some. We need some more game experience, I think.”

“What we’re lacking is getting out there in front of a crowd, getting out there playing somebody other than, you know, the highlighters. We just need more experience, and we probably won’t get that until next week, this time. Hopefully, we’ll have enough in the tank and win a basketball game at a neutral site.”

Dawn Staley names her potential replacement for Kamilla Cardoso

Without Kamilla Cardoso, Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks are without a reliable center who can control the post and anchor the team’s defense. In a recent interview, Coach Staley acknowledged this gap in the team but expressed confidence that players can collectively step up to fill the role.

“We don’t have a dominant big, right? We’ve had a dominant big for the last 10 years. Now we don’t. But we do have a collection of bigs who do things a lot differently than each other.”

“I think Joyce [Edwards] can rebound. She actually is an aggressive rebounder. I do think she has a little bit of go-get-you-a-bucket, too…I mean, she is probably well ahead of where I thought she could be.

Staley also mentioned adding Sania Feagin and Chloe Kitts to this mix.

“Chloe can go get you a bucket in any type of way… midrange, then you put her on the block, and she’s pretty savvy with her footwork. Chloe has been outstanding [and] Feagin has improved, as well.”

South Carolina took home big wins during their exhibition games, setting the tone for another successful season. Only time will tell if the void left by Cardoso will be too big for the Gamecocks.