South Carolina football is in the unique position of returning a lot of talent on defense this year while also bringing in a lot of new talent on that side of the ball.

Cornerback Marcellas Dial (6th round, New England Patriots) left the program via the NFL Draft, EDGE players Jordan Strachan (Tennessee Titans) and Tyreek Johnson (New York Jets) found themselves in NFL rookie training camps, and contributors like linebackers Pup Howard (Florida Gators) and Stone Blanton (Mississippi State Bulldogs) and defensive backs Keenan Nelson (Ohio State Buckeyes) and KaJuan Banks (South Florida Bulls) left in the transfer portal.

The transfer portal haul and talented freshman class surely will have several players who come in and contribute alongside the veteran returners for defensive coordinator Clayton White. The team added three defensive tackles, two EDGE players, two linebackers, and two defensive backs via transfer, and some of the top players from the group of freshmen are defensive players.

With a strong finish to the 2023 season (largely in conjunction with a switch to the 3-3-5 as the primary defensive look for the Gamecocks) and an influx of talent, there is optimism that USC could have a stout defense this fall.

The two-deep on offense is difficult to project because of large amounts of uncertainty surrounding new or inexperienced players. The two-deep on defense is hard to predict because there are so many players talented enough to play a role this fall.

With so many potential contributors on that side of the ball, what might the two-deep on defense look like when USC takes the field for the season opener against Old Dominion on August 31st?

Miss South Carolina Volunteer Berkley Bryant became the third titleholder in the Miss Volunteer America pageant, taking home the crown on Saturday night. 

The winner of a $50,000 scholarship along with the Miss Volunteer America 2025 title, Bryant built a platform of promoting self-love and inspiring young women to believe in themselves.

“Here’s to being a trailblazer for the little girls out there that may need to be reminded that they’re more than enough,” Bryant said. “I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, being a trailblazer for those young women is why I’m here and why I compete.”

More: Miss Volunteer America pageant returns to Jackson for third year

More: Miss Lane College Jada Brown crowned Miss TN Volunteer on Saturday in Jackson

Sixteen finalists competed in the first round of the final night, health and wellness before 12 then advanced to the talent portion of the competition. Then, ten contestants advanced to the third, and final, evening gown component. 

Miss New York, Miss Pennsylvania, Miss Alabama, Miss South Carolina, and Miss Mississippi Volunteer moved on to the final round interview. 

Scores are based on four categories each worth 25% of contestants’ overall score: talent, health and wellness, evening gown, and a private interview. 

MVA’s opening night on Wednesday was the organization’s most attended opening night, and proof that the pageant continues to grow each year.

Vicki Runk, Miss Virginia Volunteer Director, has been one of many to see the pageant grow since its conception three years ago.

“We share, and we’re a family, and when we come together it’s not just about the competition, it’s about friendships and families that have brought together the last three years and we truly love each other and we’re a part of a system that matters,” Runk said.

Sarah Best is a reporter for The Jackson Sun. To support local journalism, subscribe to the Daily Briefing here

The college baseball season will end in the next couple of days as two SEC programs play for the National Championship. The Tennessee Volunteers and Texas A&M Aggies are the last two teams standing. In contrast, the South Carolina baseball team ended their season nearly three weeks ago in a loss in the Regional round of the NCAA Tournament and fired head coach Mark Kingston.

Leading up to the final days of the 2024 campaign, the best player for the Gamecocks was catcher Cole Messina.

The 2023 All-American backstop was having a good year for the garnet and black, but a blazing hot finish made it a great season as he finished with a ridiculous slash line of .326/.465/.701/1.166 and 21 home runs, 19 doubles, 64 runs scored, and 71 RBI. As one of the top defensive catchers in the sport, posting an offensive season like that earned him a number of postseason accolades.

On Friday, Messina was selected to his fourth All-American team. Baseball America, like Perfect Game, the National College Baseball Writers Association, and the American Baseball Coaches Association before them, picked Cole Messina as a 2nd team All-American. The NCBWA, ABCA, and Baseball America slotted Messina in as the 2nd team catcher, while Perfect Game picked him at designated hitter.

Next month, Cole Messina will have a big decision to make as he is expected to be a high pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Messina has been mocked as high as the 1st round and has received the most projections in the 2nd round.

If he is not picked early enough to warrant leaving school, Messina has one more year of eligibility he can spend wearing garnet and black. His younger brother Carson, a right-handed pitcher, also will have a draft vs. school decision to make as he could jump straight from Summerville High School to the professional ranks if picked high enough.