Charges against South Carolina women’s basketball star Ashlyn Watkins reportedly dismissed – Sports Illustrated

Back in August, South Carolina women’s basketball player Ashlyn Watkins was arrested on charges of assault, battery and kidnapping.

According to an Aug. 31 report by station WTLX News19 in Columbia, South Carolina, warrants filed by the state police said Watkins assaulted the alleged victim by “grabbing her face, pulling her arms and shoving her” while inside a student housing center. on the South Carolina campus.

The report then reads, “The warrant states that Watkins also picked up the victim against her will and carried her. It goes on to say that Watkins “grabbed the victim’s head and forced her to walk down the hallway, thereby controlling her movement while preventing her from leaving. The latter charge led to an additional charge of kidnapping.”

Additional reports indicated that Watkins’ trial was set for October and she was released on $30,000 personal recognizance in August.

However, a Nov. 5 report by Lulu Kessin of the Greenville News indicates that the charges against Watkins have now been dismissed.

“According to the public index, both indictments list the depositions as ‘Dismissed, No Charges’ on Nov. 1, but do not provide details,” Kessin wrote.

“Following her arrest, Watkins has been suspended from all team activities. The Greenville News reached out to a team spokesperson Tuesday morning but did not receive a response.”

It remains to be seen if that means Watkins will be back on the court for the Gamecocks, who began their 2023-24 NCAA Championship defense with a 68-62 win over the Michigan Wolverines on Monday.

Watkins averaged 9.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last season as a sophomore while helping Dawn Staley’s team go 38-0 (the program’s first undefeated year since 2016) and defeat Iowa to won second national title in three seasons.