South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley has added a new assistant to her staff, hiring Wendale Farrow to replace Winston Gandy, who left to become head coach at Grand Canyon University. Gandy was instrumental in South Carolina’s game planning, and assistant recruiting coordinator Chloe Rice also joined him at Grand Canyon.
Farrow arrives in Columbia after four successful seasons with the USC Trojans, where he worked under head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. During his time there, he helped restore the program’s national prominence, guiding them to a Big Ten Regular-Season Championship in 2025, a Pac-12 Tournament title in 2024, and back-to-back NCAA Elite Eight appearances. The Trojans also finished in the top five of the AP Poll in both of the last two seasons and had six players drafted into the WNBA, including this year’s first-rounder, Kiki Iriafen.
With over a decade of coaching experience in the Big Ten, Pac-12, and SEC, Farrow has previously held roles at California, Vanderbilt, UCLA, Michigan, and Eastern Michigan. As a former player at American River College and Eastern Michigan, he brings valuable experience developing guards and wings. Known for his basketball IQ and tactical skills, Farrow is expected to step seamlessly into Gandy’s former role.
Coach Staley praised the hire, saying, “We struck gold bringing Wendale into our Gamecock family. He’s a well-rounded coach with experience in every area—strategy, development, recruiting, and community engagement. He’ll make a big impact here in Columbia.”
