Justine Loubens Joins South Carolina Women’s Basketball
All 15 members of Dawn Staley’s roster are now present on the University of South Carolina campus for the summer. The final arrival was Justine Loubens, a 6‑foot‑1 guard from France who only secured her visa shortly before stepping onto Columbia soil. A July 9 video confirms she is already in Columbia, ending a lengthy waiting period that had kept her abroad. Staley’s program now has its full complement of players ahead of the eight‑week window permitted under NCAA summer‑school guidelines.
Loubens, a freshman, was highlighted on social media by performance coach Molly Binetti, who posted a short clip on Instagram with the caption “Bonjour.” The post served as a public welcome and signaled that the newcomer was officially part of the Gamecocks’ summer schedule. She previously competed for La Roche Vendée Basket Club, averaging 6.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting 63.9 % from the field over 24 contests. Her commitment on April 29 secured her spot as the 15th player signed for the upcoming season.
The team’s return to Columbia began on June 22, though a few athletes arrived later due to national‑team obligations. Starting forward Joyce Edwards missed the initial days because she was still representing USA Basketball. Sophomore guard Agot Makeer did not join until June 30 after being invited to Canada’s Senior Women’s National Team camp. These staggered arrivals illustrate how international commitments can affect early‑season availability for the Gamecocks.
NCAA regulations allow teams to hold eight weeks of organized activities once summer school commences, giving Staley’s staff a full window to integrate new talent and assess conditioning. The delayed arrivals mean the coaching staff must balance individual fitness plans with cohesive team drills. With the roster now complete, the focus shifts to ensuring all players acclimate quickly and develop chemistry ahead of the 2026‑27 campaign. Staley will likely use the full eight‑week period to evaluate depth and refine strategies.
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Dawn Staley’s South Carolina women’s basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 30: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with Joyce Edwards #8 in the game against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
(Harry How, Getty Images)
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Dawn Staley’s South Carolina women’s basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 30: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with Joyce Edwards #8 in the game against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
(Harry How, Getty Images)
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Dawn Staley’s South Carolina women’s basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
TAMPA, FLORIDA – APRIL 04: Chloe Kitts #21 of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates after beating the Texas Longhorns 74-57 in the Final Four game of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Amalie Arena on April 04, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
(Carmen Mandato, Getty Images)
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Dawn Staley’s South Carolina women’s basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Tessa Johnson (5) celebrates after defeating the UConn Huskies during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
(Kirby Lee, Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
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Dawn Staley’s South Carolina women’s basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – DECEMBER 08: Ashlyn Watkins #2 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drives against Aaliyah Roberson #23 of the TCU Horned Frogs during the second half in the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Classic at Dickies Arena on December 08, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
(Alex Slitz, Getty Images)
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Dawn Staley’s South Carolina women’s basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
South Carolina Gamecocks guard Agot Makeer (44) celebrates their 62-48 win over the Connecticut Huskies in their NCAA Women’s Final Four semifinal game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 3, 2026.
(Joe Rondone/The Republic)
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Maddy McDaniel, South Carolina women’s basketball guard for Gamecocks, Dawn Staley
Mar 30, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Maddy McDaniel (1) pushes the ball up the court during the first quarter of the game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs in an Elite Eight game in the Sacramento Regional 4 of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
(Ed Szczepanski, Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images)
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Dawn Staley’s South Carolina women’s basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 30: Alicia Tournebize #31 of the South Carolina Gamecocks brings the ball up the court against the TCU Horned Frogs during the first quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thien-An Truong/Getty Images)
(Thien-An Truong, Getty Images)
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Adhel Tac, South Carolina women’s basketball forward for Gamecocks, Dawn Staley
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 25: Adhel Tac #15 of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts in the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores during their game at Colonial Life Arena on January 25, 2026 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
(Jacob Kupferman, Getty Images)
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Dawn Staley’s South Carolina women’s basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
Mar 21, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Ayla McDowell (24) drives against the Southern Jaguars in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
(Jeff Blake, Jeff Blake-Imagn Images)
The 6‑foot‑1 guard most recently played for La Roche Vendée Basket Club, where she averaged 6.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and shot 63.9 % from the field in 24 games. She committed to the program on April 29, becoming the 15th player on this year’s roster for coach Dawn Staley. With all squad members now on campus, the team can fully utilize the eight‑week summer window allowed by the NCAA. Staley’s staff will likely use this period to integrate Loubens and assess her compatibility with existing rotations. The arrivals of Joyce Edwards and Agot Makeer later in June also illustrate how national‑team duties can affect early‑season availability, adding another layer for the coaching staff to manage.
Content Credit: This article was originally published on sports.yahoo.com.
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