Dawn Staley makes ‘more money’ comment about South Carolina roster size

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has admitted she would prefer to keep the Gamecocks roster smaller than 15 players despite her team being shorthanded this season

Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks looks on against the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the Players Era Championship basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on November 27, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada

View 3 Images

Dawn Staley has shared her thoughts on South Carolina’s roster size(Image: Photo by Andrew Wevers/Players Era/Getty Images)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has hinted she may look to bolster the Gamecocks’ roster in the near future, with her side having played shorthanded this season.

Sunday will see the Gamecocks face off against Penn State, just weeks after their narrow two-point defeat to Texas at the end of November. South Carolina is 9-1 this year, with the Gamecocks following up their loss to Texas with a win over No. 22-ranked Louisville and a blowout 106-42 victory over NC Central.

Sophie Cunningham felt like an ‘idiot’ after trying Lane Kiffin’s favorite hobby

However, heading into Sunday’s game against the Nittany Lions, South Carolina continues to play with a roster of 10 players, something which could hurt their chances at returning to the National Championship game when March Madness comes around next year.

Prior to the 2025-26 season, the expectation had been South Carolina would utilize 12 players, which is typically the number Staley has had on her rosters during her time as the Gamecocks head coach.

However, Chloe Kitts’ ACL injury and Ashlyn Watkins decision to take the year off to recover for the 2026-27 season mean South Carolina currently finds itself with 10 healthy players on their roster.