Justine Loubens, a 6‑foot‑2 guard from France, finally stepped onto the practice court in Columbia after a lengthy visa process that had kept her out of the preseason workouts until mid‑August.
A Freshman with a Vision
Her season in Vendée gave her a modest but efficient statistical footprint — 6.5 points per game, 2.5 rebounds and a 63.9 % field‑goal percentage — numbers that hinted at a player comfortable in a structured offense.
She now joins Dawn Staley’s freshman class, a group that ESPN has already placed at No. 2 in its preseason rankings, a testament to the recruiting haul that includes several highly rated prospects.
The exit of presumed starter Maddy McDaniel in early August has created additional minutes, but Staley has warned that the real test will be how quickly Loubens can translate practice reps into game‑ready confidence.
Summer workouts began on June 22, and with classes resuming on August 18, the Gamecocks are using this period to embed new faces into a system that has produced back‑to‑back SEC titles, making Loubens’ adaptation a focal point for the coaching staff.