South Carolina women’s basketball standout Ashlyn Watkins was arrested and charged with first-degree assault and battery and kidnapping following an incident Saturday on the school’s campus, court records show.
Citing a warrant issued by University of South Carolina police, WLTX in Columbia reported that the incident occurred at a student housing center. Watkins, per the warrant obtained by WLTX, allegedly assaulted the individual by “forcefully grabbing her face, pulling her by her arms, and pushing her.” Watkins also allegedly picked up the individual and carried her against her will, then ultimately “grabbed the victim’s head and forced her to walk down the hall, thus controlling her movement while preventing her from leaving.”
The individual allegedly escaped and pulled a firm alarm, WLTX reported, and was later treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Richland County records show that Watkins was released on a $30,000 personal recognizance bond and has a court appearance scheduled for Oct. 25.
In a statement to ESPN, a South Carolina program spokesperson said “we are aware of the situation and are continuing to gather information.”
Watkins, a junior forward from Columbia, was a key reserve on the Gamecocks’ national championship squad this past season. She was the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022.
