South Carolina star Ashlyn Watkins had charges of first-degree assault and battery and kidnapping dismissed last week, according to The Post and Courier.
Watkins was arrested in August after an alleged incident at a student housing center on South Carolina’s campus. Watkins was accused of “forcefully” grabbing the victim’s face and later grabbing her head and forcing “her to walk down the hall.” The woman then reportedly escaped and pulled a fire alarm.
Watkins was charged with both first-degree assault and battery and kidnapping, and she was released on bond. Her charges were officially dismissed on Nov. 1, according to the report. Court records show that Watkins completed Pre-Trial Intervention, too, which allows first-time non-violent offenders in South Carolina to have charges dropped if they complete a certain number of requirements. Further specifics aren’t known.
Watkins was quickly suspended from the program after her arrest, and she’s been away from the team ever since. She did not fly with the Gamecocks to celebrate their national championship win at the White House with President Joe Biden last month, and she missed their tight season-opening win over Michigan in Las Vegas on Monday night.
Watkins was a key piece for the Gamecocks last season. She averaged 9.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore while helping the program go a perfect 38-0. They beat Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the national championship game earlier this year, too, to claim the program’s second title in the last three seasons. They were the first undefeated team to win a national championship since UConn did so in 2016.
Now that her legal battle is behind her, it’s unclear when Watkins will rejoin the team. No. 1 South Carolina will take on No. 9 NC State next on Sunday.
