The confetti had barely settled on the floor following South Carolina’s national championship win over Iowa Sunday and ESPN was already thinking about next year.
And while the Gamecocks will have to replace a major piece of their undefeated title run in the title game Most Outstanding Player Kamilla Cardoso, every other major contributor returns from one of the most talented, deepest rosters in women’s basketball history.
As Charlie Creme points out, rosters around the sport will change, perhaps drastically, in the coming weeks, via the transfer portal.
But you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who wouldn’t pick the Gamecocks for next year at this time, and that’s why South Carolina checks in at No. 1 in Creme’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2024-25:
A third consecutive undefeated regular season might be too much to ask, but that doesn’t mean South Carolina won’t be the favorite. At this point, Kamilla Cardoso is the only player set to leave. Her inside dominance will be missed, but the Gamecocks won five games this season without her. The deep backcourt of Raven Johnson, Bree Hall, Te-Hina Paopao, MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson looks even better heading into the 2024-25 season. Sania Feagin, Ashlyn Watkins and Chloe Kitts should be ready to take over the frontcourt and will welcome 6-foot-2 Joyce Edwards, the No. 2-rated recruit in the country, according to HoopGurlz.
Texas, Notre Dame, UConn, and Southern Cal round out Creme’s Top 25 which can be seen below.
