COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley announced that Maryam Dauda will join the Gamecocks as a transfer from Arkansas. She is eligible to play for the 2024-25 academic year and has up to two years of eligibility.
“Maryam has a skill set that changes the game in so many ways,” Staley said. “Offensively, she keeps you off balance with her great footwork inside and ability score from the perimeter. As talented as Maryam is on the court, she’s also an exceptional person, and we’re excited to welcome her and her family to South Carolina. I know the FAMS are going to love having her in a Gamecock uniform this year!”
A 6-foot-4 forward, Dauda averaged 10.1 points and 6.3 rebounds as a redshirt sophomore at Arkansas last season, including going for 19 points in her lone matchup with South Carolina. Over her two seasons with the Razorbacks, which included a run to the WNIT Great Eight in 2023, Dauda played in 68 games for an average of 19.6 minutes. She shot 44.4 percent from the field, including 30.4 percent from 3-point range, and blocked 1.4 shots per game. In 2023-24, she led the team in field goal percentage (.455), blocks (74) and offensive rebounds (79). Her 10 blocks at Alabama (Jan. 4) were tied for the most in NCAA Div. I last season and broke the Arkansas program record.
It’s official – @maryamdauda30 is a Gamecock!https://t.co/pSDPhRGGPT pic.twitter.com/n1KPF5PjiJ
— South Carolina Women’s Basketball (@GamecockWBB) May 31, 2024
Prior her move to Fayetteville ahead of the 2021-22 season, Dauda was a McDonald’s All-American (2021) and a semifinalist for Naismith High School Player of the Year out of Bentonville High (Ark.). Ranked as high as the No. 13 player in the 2021 signing class, the four-time all-conference selection earned all-state honors three times. Dauda graduated from Bentonville as the school’s all-time leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker.
Dauda joins freshmen Joyce Edwards (Camden, S.C./Camden) and Madisen McDaniel (Upper Marlboro, Md./Bishop McNamara) as additions to Staley’s 2024-25 roster. That pair, along with early enrollee Adhel Tac (Grand Prairie, Texas/South Grand Prairie) made up 2024’s No. 2 signing class.
Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for the most up-to-date information on the women’s basketball program.
