COLUMBIA — South Carolina women’s basketball has chosen “Beyond Measure” as its theme for the 2025-26 season, the team announced via X on Aug. 25.
Each year, the program picks a theme that typically reflects on the previous season. Coach Dawn Staley has picked a theme since the 2012-13 season.
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“The theme nods to some core values of the program. A player’s value to a team is not measured just by her stat line but also by a myriad of other ways she elevates her team,” the program said in a news release. “Championships and accolades are not valuable just because of trophies in a case but also because they lift up a university, a city, a state.”
Last season, the theme was “Uncommon,” which Staley said referred to many elements, including their 38-0 record. It also is linked to “uncommon favor,” which has biblical roots and is one of her favorite phrases. Her book, which was released in May, is called “Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and the Life Lessons I Learned from All Three.”
South Carolina lost to UConn in the 2025 national championship game, and the roster has shifted as a result of the WNBA draft and transfer portal. Bree Hall, Sania Feagin and Te-Hina Paopao are in the pros, and star guard MiLaysia Fulwiley transferred to LSU.
Reserve center Sakima Walker transferred to Cal, and Ashlyn Watkins would be a senior this season but is taking a year off and plans to return in 2026-27.
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Staley has added Ta’Niya Latson, a Florida State transfer and the top scorer in the nation last season, plus Mississippi State transfer Madina Okot and freshmen Ayla McDowell and Agot Makeer.
The season opens Nov. 3 at Colonial Life Arena against Grand Canyon, which is coached by former South Carolina assistant Winston Gandy.
Previous South Carolina women’s basketball themes
DNA – Dreams, Nets, Assets (2022-23)
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@gannett.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Dawn Staley, South Carolina women’s basketball reveal 2025-26 theme