The player for the South Carolina team, has had suspension lifted following arrest for an alleged assault early Saturday morning, according to WIS-TV’s sources. Watkins faced charges of first-degree assault and kidnapping related to an incident at 650 Lincoln St., a USC housing and retail complex. Her arrest automatically triggered a suspension under athletic department policies, though it is unclear whether this suspension was related to university or team policies. USC has not publicly commented on the situation or the suspension, only stating through a spokesperson on Saturday that they were aware and gathering information. The spokesperson had no additional comment when contacted Wednesday night.
Watkins’ father, Vancito Watkins, initially announced the lifting of the suspension in a Facebook post, which has since been deleted. He did not respond to requests for further details. Watkins’ attorney, State Representative Todd Rutherford, was also unavailable for comment.
According to arrest warrants, Ashlyn Watkins allegedly assaulted the victim by forcefully grabbing her face, pulling her by her arms, and pushing her. She is also accused of picking up the victim against her will, dragging her down the hall, and preventing her from leaving. The victim managed to escape and activate a fire alarm, prompting a response from police and fire personnel. The victim’s injuries were reported as not life-threatening.
A police incident report indicates that the confrontation began with an argument between Watkins and the victim. An officer arriving at the scene heard someone screaming for help and saw the victim visibly upset, leaning over a ledge in the parking garage. The victim, initially describing Watkins as her “girlfriend,” later stated that while Watkins had not physically hit her, she had grabbed her and walked outside. Watkins claimed she intervened because she thought the victim might jump from the ledge. Emergency responders and police assessed the situation and determined the victim was not suicidal.
Watkins has been granted a $30,000 personal recognizance bond with conditions including no contact with the victim and maintaining a distance of 1,000 yards from the victim’s home, work, school, and place of worship, though she is permitted to travel out of state for games and practices. Rutherford has expressed confidence that the incident will be resolved as a misunderstanding, asserting that Watkins did not assault or kidnap anyone.
Watkins, a 6-foot-3 forward and key defensive player for the Gamecocks, was part of South Carolina’s 2024 national championship team and previously won the state Gatorade Player of the Year Award in 2022 and the McDonald’s All-American dunk contest.
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