COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley is adding junior college player of the year Sakima Walker to her roster.
Walker announced on social media on Friday that she was joining the Gamecocks. They lost seven seniors, including three-time All-American Aliyah Boston from this season’s Final Four team.
The school said the 6-foot-5 Walker has up to two years of eligibility with the Gamecocks.
Walker spent her first two years in college at Rutgers before transferring to Northwest Florida State College, where she helped the team win the junior college national title this season.
Staley was excited about adding Walker. “Kima brings with her championship experience by leading her team to the national JUCO title in March,” the coach said. “She scores, rebounds, and defends the rim.”
Walker, who is from Columbus, Ohio, was named the NJCAA Division I women’s player of the year. She averaged 16.7 points and 8.2 rebounds in 32 games last season.
Walker is the second transfer added by Staley, joining former Oregon guard Te-Hina Paopao.
Along with Boston, leading scorer Zia Cooke, defensive stopper Brea Beal, and starters Victaria Saxton and Kierra Fletcher have left the program for the WNBA or completed their eligibility.