Gamecocks forward Watkins arrested on assault and battery charges

Isaiah Collins | Sep 3, 2024

Apr 7, 2024; Cleveland, OH, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks forward Ashlyn Watkins (2) dribbles the ball against Iowa Hawkeyes guard Kate Martin (20) in the finals of the Final Four of the womens 2024 NCAA Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

South Carolina junior forward Ashlyn Watkins was arrested on Saturday August 31, facing charges of assault and battery and kidnapping. 

Watkins was detained Saturday afternoon around 3:00 pm, and was granted a $30,000 recognizance bond, leaving jail around 3:30 pm. 

WLTX reported that the warrant states, “Watkins assaulted the victim by ‘forcefully grabbing her face, pulling her by her arms, and pushing her.’” 

The charge of kidnapping was added after the report said Watkins “grabbed the victim's head and forced her to walk down the hall, thus controlling her movement while preventing her from leaving."

The junior forward was a key contributor for the Gamecocks’ national title team last season. In 38 games, Watkins averaged 9.2 points, 2.4 blocks, 1.3 steals and 7.4 rebounds in just over 20 minutes per game, earning her an All-SEC selection. 

Watkins is scheduled to appear in court on October 25. 

You Might Also Like:

• What South Carolina's Week One Game Answered About Nyck Harbor
• South Carolina Gamecocks Football Depth Chart: Week 2 at Kentucky
• South Carolina's Shane Beamer Previews SEC Opener vs the Kentucky Wildcats

Join the community:

• Follow Fisher Brewer on Twitter: @USCTalk
• Follow Alex Joyce on Twitter: @AlexJoyceSI
• Follow Joseph Griffin on Twitter: @JosephGriffinJG
• Follow Luke Brumm on Twitter: @lukebrummcfb
• Follow USCTalk on YouTube for more video-based content: USCTalk YouTube

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook!