The only three Republican women in the South Carolina Senate took on their party and stopped a total abortion ban from passing in their state last year. In return, they lost their jobs. Voters removed Sens. Sandy Senn, Penry Gustafson, and Katrina Shealy from office during primaries with sparse turnout in June, and by doing so completely vacated the Republican wing of the five-member “Sister Senators,” a female contingent that included two Democrats and was united in their opposition to the abortion ban.

For Republicans, the departure of Senn, Gustafson, and Shealy likely means there will be no women in the majority party of the state Senate when the next session starts in 2025. It could also mean that women will not wield power for decades in the fiercely conservative state where they have long struggled to gain entry into the Legislature.

• How scant has political influence historically been for women in South Carolina? Small portraits of every woman who has ever served in the 170-seat General Assembly in the 250 years it has met fit on a poster framed just outside the governor’s office.
• The sudden departure of the Republican women presents a potential power issue because the Senate doles out clout and responsibility to the majority party based on seniority. Half the members in the GOP-dominated state were elected in 2012 or before, so it will likely be the 2040s before any Republican woman elected in the future can rise to leadership or a committee chairmanship.

• Barring a woman winning a race in November in a district dominated by the other party, there will be only two women in the 46-member South Carolina Senate when the 126th session starts in January. No other state in the country would have fewer women in its upper chamber, according to the Center of American Women in Politics.
• That gap should be alarming to anyone in South Carolina, says Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine, who took her seat this year in a special election and became the sixth member of the Sister Senators. Next year Devine and fellow Democrat Sen. Margie Bright Matthews will likely be the only women in the chamber. “No matter how much empathy men can have, they have not had babies. They have not had hysterectomies. They haven’t had some of the heath care issues or the community issues we deal with every day,” Devine says.
• Historically, it’s been worse in the South Carolina Senate for women. There were no women there from 2009 to 2013, when Shealy was first elected. Her goals were protecting veterans, women, families, children, and other vulnerable groups.

(More South Carolina stories.)

A deep dive into the coaching changes that have occurred with the South Carolina Gamecocks during the offseason across all sports.

The University of South Carolina’s athletic department recently shook up its coaching staff, bringing in new leadership to bolster its sports programs. The most significant changes are new head coaches for the softball and baseball teams. There were also strategic additions to the football coaching staff. Shawn Elliott’s return to the football program also adds excitement and experience.

Ashley Chastain Takes the Helm for Softball

Ashley Chastain steps in as the new head coach of the South Carolina softball team, the first change in this position since 2010. Chastain, a former player and graduate assistant for the Gamecocks, brings extensive experience and a fresh perspective. She aims to build on the solid foundation left by former coach Beverly Smith, who departed on June 8, 2024. Chastain’s familiarity with the program and her vision promise to propel the Gamecocks to new heights​.

Paul Mainieri Leads the Baseball Team

Paul Mainieri takes over as the head baseball coach. Mainieri’s hiring comes after Mark Kingston’s seven seasons and a disappointing first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament. Mainieri, who led LSU to a national championship in 2009, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record. His ability to develop talent and lead successful teams will be crucial as he steers the Gamecock baseball program forward.

Football’s Strategic Coaching Hires

The football program saw several key additions to its coaching staff. Joe DeCamillis joined as the special teams coordinator, bringing over 30 years of NFL experience, including two Super Bowl victories. His expertise aims to enhance the Gamecocks’ special teams performance significantly. This hiring followed Pete Lembo’s departure to become the head coach at the University of Buffalo.

Marquel Blackwell came on board as the running backs coach. This hire is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the team’s offensive capabilities and provide a more dynamic and run game.

Shawn Elliott’s Return

Shawn Elliott rejoined the South Carolina football coaching staff, adding his extensive experience to the team. Elliott, who previously served as an assistant coach for the Gamecocks and recently as the head coach at Georgia State, returned as the run game coordinator and tight ends coach. With 23 winning seasons and 21 postseason appearances in his career, Elliott brings a wealth of knowledge and success. During his tenure at Georgia State, he led the team to five bowl games and established a formidable rushing attack, highlighting his ability to elevate the Gamecocks’ performance.

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New South Carolina baseball coach Paul Mainieri will have the luxury of an elite group of junior college talents joining the program in his first year with the Gamecocks.

At the time of this writing, USC has received commitments from seven junior college prospects as pitchers Brandon Stone (Johnson County Community College), Brandon Clarke (State College of Florida), Jackson Soucie (Wabash Valley College), Kemper Nix (Spartanburg Methodist College), and Brendan Sweeney (Blinn College) and position players Jase Woita (Kansas City Kansas Community College) and Cayden Gaskin (Northwest Florida State College) will join the program this fall.

The group of JuCo players are sure to make a major impact on the team next season.

According to Dream Big Athletics and former MLB scout Tad Slowick, the Gamecocks have five of the top-54 junior college prospects in the country committed in the class.

Right-handed pitcher Brandon Stone slots in as the #1 overall JuCo player in DBA’s rankings and, obviously, the #1 pitcher and right-handed pitcher.

Brandon Clarke, a left-handed pitcher, is ranked #11 regardless of position and #6 among pitchers. He ranks as the 3rd-best lefty in the junior college class.

Another left-handed pitcher, Jackson Soucie, is the #14 JuCo product according to DBA. He also is the 8th-highest pitcher in the rankings and the 4th-best lefty.

First baseman/third baseman Jase Woita is 23rd on DBA’s list, and he is also the 11th-ranked position player in the rankings. No players listed as first basemen are ranked higher than Woita.

Cayden Gaskin, a utility player who can play middle infield or outfield, is ranked 54th in DBA’s junior college rankings. He is the 27th-rated position player, and only two players ranked ahead of him are listed with realistic multi-positional versatility on their DBA page.

All of these junior college stars are eligible for the 2024 MLB Draft, but only Brandon Clarke (who pitched for the Alabama Crimson Tide before heading to junior college) attended the 2024 MLB Draft Combine. Clarke likely will be selected in the draft, and depending on how high he is picked, he could opt to head to the professional ranks instead of enrolling at the University of South Carolina.