Latest news with #SakimaWalker
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dawn Staley Sends Message to South Carolina Players' Major Life Update
Dawn Staley is staying busy this spring as she shifts her focus toward summer preparations with the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Hall of Fame coach has been active on the recruiting trail, diving into the transfer portal while also promoting her new book on tour. It's graduation season across the country, and many college basketball players are completing their degrees. Some are returning for a final season on the court. Advertisement Staley recently sent a heartfelt message to two of her players who graduated Saturday. One will return for another season with South Carolina, while the other is heading to a new destination for 2025–26. "THE @GamecockWBB GRADUATES! Congrats to @HollywoodRaven @SakimaWalker for finishing the academic race…degree them! I love this part more than anyone will ever know," Staley posted. Raven Johnson and Sakima Walker both earned their undergraduate degrees. Johnson is returning to play one more season with the Gamecocks, while Walker is transferring to finish her career with the California Golden Bears. Advertisement Johnson was part of the Gamecocks that won the title in 2022 and 2024, although she missed all but two games in the 2021-22 season due to a knee injury. In Columbia, she appeared in 114 games and started all 39 last season. A former Naismith Prep Player of the Year, Johnson starred at Westlake High School in Atlanta. South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Lee-Imagn Images Walker joined South Carolina after two under-the-radar seasons at Rutgers. In her two seasons with the Gamecocks, she played in 46 games and made one start. She averaged 1.8 points per game. As Staley heads into her 18th season at the helm, South Carolina remains a powerhouse in women's college basketball. Under her leadership, the Gamecocks have reached at least the Final Four five years in a row, with three appearances in the national championship game. Advertisement Related: Kentucky Guard Makes Life-Changing Announcement After Freshman Season Related: Kentucky's Mark Pope Sends Clear Message on 7-Foot-1 Transfer
Axios
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Axios
The four Ohioans competing in the Final Four
There aren't any Ohio schools to root for in the Final Four this weekend, but you can still cheer for a few Ohioans. Fun fact: Senior Sakima Walker, who grew up in Columbus, plays for South Carolina, the team that won it all last year. She graduated from Africentric Early College, a local girls basketball powerhouse. Walker helped lead the Nubians to back-to-back state championships in 2018 and 2019. The Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association named her the player of the year for Division III in 2020, a season cut short by COVID-19. Zoom in: Walker doesn't get a lot of play time on the stacked South Carolina roster but is a "self-proclaimed team mom" and doesn't mind her role, reports. "I just stay ready when my name is called, help my teammates, encourage my teammates, and bring good energy," she said. The other Ohioans: One of those teammates, senior Bree Hall, is from Dayton. South Carolina faces Texas, which also has two Buckeye State natives: Kyla Oldacre (of Mason) and Laila Phelia (of Cincinnati). How to watch: Tonight's game starts at 7pm (ESPN).
