The latest South Carolina Gamecocks news from the last week, starting with updates from the world of South Carolina football recruiting:

The Gamecocks landed a commitment from 3-star linebacker/EDGE prospect Jaiden Braker.

South Carolina was included on top school lists for Winston Watkins (5-star wide receiver), Juan Gaston (4-star offensive lineman), Jordan Gidron (4-star wide receiver, class of 2026), G’Nivre Carr (4-star offensive lineman, class of 2026), and Samari Matthews (4-star cornerback, class of 2026).

4-star offensive lineman Juan Gaston (August 2nd) and 3-star wide receiver Giyahni Kontosis (July 27th) set commitment dates. The Gamecocks are finalists for both players.

The biggest recruiting news from the week came in on Sunday as 4-star corner Shamari Earls, the Gamecocks’ top-rated commitment, decommitted and flipped to the rival Georgia Bulldogs.

USC targets JaDon Blair (Notre Dame) and Bryce Jenkins (Maryland) announced their college decisions last week.

A former Gamecock has found a new home in the transfer portal.

Wide receiver Kylic Horton, a player who spent two years in Columbia, will play with the South Carolina State Bulldogs next season.

Lamont Paris’ South Carolina basketball team has its final assistant coach.

Paris hired Will Bailey, a coach who spent two seasons with the Gamecocks when Frank Martin was the headman in Columbia.

A USC legend is back in the NBA.

Guard PJ Dozier signed a contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

South Carolina basketball coach Dawn Staley and her team were included as finalists for two top-10 national prospects.

5-star wing Zakiyah Johnson and 5-star guard Divine Bourrage included the Gamecocks on their respective top-6 lists.

Three Gamecock alums made the WNBA All-Star Game.

A’ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, and Allisha Gray all made the All-Star Game again in 2024.

A former Gamecock is back in the W.

Destanni Henderson signed a hardship contract with the Atlanta Dream.

A’ja Wilson set another all-time record.

On Sunday, A’ja Wilson became the all-time leading scorer in Las Vegas Aces history, surpassing Sophia Malcolm-Young’s previous record.

An All-Big 10 shortstop is joining the South Carolina baseball program.

Henry Kaczmar, who spent two years starting at short for the Ohio State Buckeyes, committed to the Gamecocks out of the transfer portal.

Two other transfer portal players announced pledges to the Gamecocks.

Infielder Nolan Nawrocki (Clemson Tigers) and catcher Max Kaufer (Texas A&M Aggies) also committed to USC last week.

A Gamecock pitcher entered the transfer portal at the last minute.

Reliever Connor McCreery entered the portal on the last day allowed.

A former Gamecock will take part in the MLB Home Run Derby…sort of.

Scott Wingo, the legend who scored the winning run in the 2010 College World Series, will serve as the pitcher for Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm.

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – 4-star cornerback Shamari Earls announced Sunday that he is de-committing from South Carolina and committing to the University of Georgia.

The 6′2′’, 195-lb. prospect is Georgia’s 18th commitment for the 2025 class, which is ranked third in the country. He is the 11th-ranked cornerback in the nation and the 105th-ranked overall recruit.

Earls attends Thomas Dale High School in Chester, Virginia.

Copyright 2024 WTOC. All rights reserved.

SUBMITTED

The South Carolina State Fair is now accepting entries for its annual competitive exhibits, which will be on display Oct. 9-20, during the S.C. State Fair. Exhibitors from across South Carolina are invited to submit their entries now through Sept. 1 in a variety of categories for a chance to compete at the state’s largest event. 

“We are thrilled to once again bring together the incredible talent and creativity of South Carolinians at this year’s South Carolina State Fair,” said General Manager Nancy Smith. “Our competitive exhibits, a cherished tradition and the heart of our fair, highlight the exceptional skills and artistic achievements of our community. We eagerly anticipate celebrating South Carolina’s rich heritage and showcasing the outstanding works of our talented exhibitors.” 

Talent of all ages and backgrounds is encouraged to participate in the competitions. More than $300,000 in premiums will be offered for award-winning exhibits in agriculture, art, home and crafts, flowers, livestock and more. To enter the 2024 competitive exhibits, participants can visit scstatefair.org/competitions and find detailed instructions on how to submit their entries, along with a comprehensive list of categories available for participation. 

The S.C. State Fair is a charitable organization dedicated to preserving and promoting South Carolina’s agricultural roots while supporting statewide education. Earlier this year, the S.C. State Fair awarded its largest amount of scholarship money, totaling $530,000 in Ride of Your Life Scholarships to 53 South Carolina high school students to pursue their studies at any public or private college, university or technical college in the state. 

The theme for the 2024 S.C. State Fair is “46 Reasons to Celebrate SC.” This year, the S.C. State Fair invites residents and visitors to embark on a remarkable journey to celebrate the very essence of what makes the Palmetto State such a special place to live, work and play – the 46 counties that collectively make up South Carolina. In collaboration with this year’s theme, additional categories and divisions have been added to the S.C. State Fair’s 2024 competitive exhibits, including the “Spirit of Carolina” awards, showcasing the best of South Carolina’s beauty and creativity. 

About the South Carolina State Fair 

The South Carolina State Fair, a self-supporting 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, was organized in 1869 and is dedicated to preserving and promoting South Carolina’s agricultural roots while supporting statewide education. In addition to the 12-day South Carolina State Fair, the charitable organization manages annual football parking, is a popular event venue and has awarded more than $5 million in scholarships since 1997. 

More information can be found at SCStateFair.org. 

Facebook: South Carolina State Fair | https://www.facebook.com/SCStateFair/ 

X: @SCStateFair | https://x.com/SCStateFair 

Instagram: @SCStateFair | https://www.instagram.com/scstatefair/ 

Hashtag: #SCStateFair 

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU1Lr5weLGE