What South Carolina likes about assistant Winston Gandy, wants in his replacement
Winston Gandy’s time with South Carolina is nearing an end. The USC assistant was hired to be head coach of the Grand Canyon women’s basketball team on March 24. Gandy, whose tenure started in April 2023, will remain with the Gamecocks until the end of this season. That makes South Carolina’s matchup with UConn in the NCAA Tournament championship game Sunday his final game as a Gamecock. “We knew he was on borrowed time when we got him,” Dawn Staley before the Sweet 16. “We were hoping for a little bit more time with him, but duty calls for him to be a head coach. Super happy. Couldn’t happen to a better person, a better coach.” Staley’s staff — which consists of Lisa Boyer, Jolette Law, Mary Wooley and Khadijah Sessions — will have an empty spot after Gandy departs for Phoenix. Exactly when Staley fills that soon-to-be-vacant role is still to be determined. When the time comes, a few Gamecocks shared with The State what they think makes an ideal assistant coach. Chloe Kitts said Gandy’s younger age (34 years old) gives him the ability to relate to the Gamecocks’ roster on a personal level. That’s something she values about Gandy and hopes to see in his potential replacement. “Winston’s definitely the youngest assistant on our staff … he gets to know us more and he can relate more because he is younger,” Kitts said. “He’s just someone you can really go and talk to. So I think it would be nice — I’m sure Coach is going to fill the spot with
