Guard Marah Strickland, a two-time Baltimore Sun All-Metro Player of the Year who announced in April that she was transferring from Maryland, will play for South Carolina and coach Dawn Staley, the former WNBA star.
Strickland, a three-point shooting specialist who starred at Towson Catholic, will join a team rebuilding under second-year coach Staley, a three-time Olympic gold medalist. Strickland, who will need to sit out a year under NCAA transfer rules, will be eligible for two seasons.
Staley indicated that the 6-foot Strickland, who scored in double figures in 14 games for Maryland as a sophomore last season, would be an anchor on a young team.
The Gamecocks were 10-18 last season. Staley came to South Carolina after compiling a 172-80 record in eight seasons at Temple.
"Marah brings a level of experience that no one on our roster has after playing in the [Atlantic Coast Conference] and for a top-10 program," Staley said in a statement. "She has the ability to play both sides of the ball and can shoot from long distance."
Strickland joins a signing class that includes Kelsey Bone, a 6-foot-5 center and McDonald's All-American from Texas considered one of the nation's top prospects.
Strickland started 23 games for the Terps and averaged nearly nine points. But her playing time decreased from her freshman season, when she started 36 games and was named honorable mention ACC All-Freshman.
After this past season ended, Strickland "just sat down and expressed an interest in leaving," her mother, Joanna, said at the time.
The younger Strickland was working at a summer job Tuesday and could not be reached through South Carolina or her parents. Staley was teaching at her basketball camp and was also unavailable, the school said.
Drey Mingo, a 6-2 forward who was a sophomore at Maryland last season, also announced her decision to leave after the season. She has transferred to Purdue.
The Terps return two starters from a 31-5 team - forward Dee Liles and center Lynetta Kizer, the 2009 ACC Rookie of the Year.
In other news Tuesday, Maryland hired former DeMatha and Montrose Christian boys basketball assistant coach David Adkins as a women's assistant.
"I first got to know David through [former Terrapin] Marissa Coleman and Greivis Vasquez, who rave about him," Maryland coach Brenda Frese said in a statement. "He's been a big part of some incredible basketball programs."
