The University of South Carolina women's basketball program has revealed the jersey numbers assigned to its six incoming freshmen, a move that underscores both tradition and transition within the Gamecocks' roster.
Historic jersey assignments
Freshman Oliviyah Edwards will wear number 0, a digit not seen on a Gamecock since Te‑Hina Paopao in the 2023‑24 season, while Jerzy Robinson becomes the first player in school history to sport number 9, a numeral last associated with Lisa Leslie during her collegiate years.
The newcomers also include Kaeli Wynn, who will don number 3; Jordan Lee, who inherits the number 7 for the first time in Gamecock history; Kelsi Andrews, who takes number 23; and Justine Loubens, who is slated for number 32.
This announcement arrives as the program shifts its retirement policy, moving from permanent retirements of numbers such as 13, 14 and 53 to a system that retires jerseys instead, thereby allowing certain digits to be reassigned while still honoring legacy figures.
Coach Dawn Staley has indicated that numbers 22 and 4 are expected to remain retired indefinitely, with A'ja Wilson's 22 already reserved and Aliyah Boston's 4 slated for retirement after a five‑year waiting period.
The new jersey assignments not only celebrate individual milestones but also reflect a broader narrative of continuity and evolution within the Gamecocks' storied basketball tradition.