COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Ashlyn Watkins, a forward for South Carolina’s national championship-winning women’s basketball team, was arrested on Saturday. She faces charges of assault, battery, and kidnapping.
According to online court records from Richland County, Watkins has been issued a personal recognizance bond set at $30,000. As part of her bail conditions, she is prohibited from having any direct or indirect contact with the unnamed victim. The records also do not indicate whether Watkins has hired legal representation.
Watkins must maintain a distance of 1,000 feet from the victim’s home, workplace, educational institution, and place of worship. However, she is allowed to travel out of state for basketball games and practices.
Her first court appearance is scheduled for October 25.
A warrant filed by the University of South Carolina Police Department, which WLTX-TV has obtained, details that Watkins allegedly assaulted the victim by forcefully grabbing her face, yanking her arms, and pushing her.
The warrant claims that Watkins picked up the victim against her will and carried her, asserting control by forcing the victim to walk down a hallway, thereby preventing her from leaving.
The victim ultimately managed to escape and activated a fire alarm, prompting the arrival of police and fire responders at the scene. Reports indicate the victim received treatment for injuries that were not life-threatening.
A spokeswoman for the women’s basketball team informed The Associated Press via text that the University is aware of Watkins’ arrest and is in the process of gathering more information. Watkins has not responded to inquiries on social media.
Watkins, who stands 6 feet 3 inches tall, is entering her junior year and had an impressive performance last season, averaging 9.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. She played a significant role in helping the Gamecocks achieve a perfect season with a record of 38-0, becoming the first team to remain undefeated since 2016. Additionally, Watkins led her team with 91 blocks that season.
She made history during her freshman year as the first player in the program to execute a dunk in a game, and she added another dunk to her accomplishments last season.
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