South Carolina women's basketball fans, get ready to welcome back a familiar face. Forward Ashlyn Watkins is officially cleared to rejoin the Gamecocks, and the timeline for her return is coming into focus.

It's been a long road back. Last July, six months after tearing her ACL, Watkins announced she would take a full year away from both school and basketball. That decision came on the heels of another tough blow for head coach Dawn Staley's squad: in October, Chloe Kitts also suffered an ACL tear, sidelining her for the entire 2025-26 season.

While Kitts remained on the bench during games this season, Watkins stepped away completely—no sideline appearances, just a full reset. Now, both players are poised to anchor the Gamecocks' frontcourt for the 2026-27 campaign.

So, when exactly can we expect Watkins back in garnet and black? Here's the breakdown. South Carolina's season ended with a national championship loss to UCLA. Spring semester classes wrapped up on April 27, with final exams concluding May 6. Summer classes kick off May 11, and that's when Watkins can officially begin taking courses again.

But her true return to the hardwood will likely come in mid-June, when the team typically reconvenes for summer practice. Last year, players reported between June 12-15, and a similar timeline is expected this time around.

Once summer school starts, the Gamecocks can engage in eight weeks of team activities. The NCAA recently updated its summer rules, effective immediately. Gone is the old four-hour weekly cap on skill instruction. Now, teams can use up to eight hours per week for weight training, conditioning, and skills work combined—with no separate limit on skill instruction alone.

Watkins missed the brief window between the season's end and the last day of school, when coaches could provide limited instruction. That period was part of her 2025-26 sabbatical. But once she's back on campus and cleared with the team, expect her to be a full participant in summer workouts.

For Gamecocks fans, the countdown is on. Watkins' return, alongside Kitts, gives South Carolina a formidable frontcourt duo that could make serious noise in the SEC and beyond. Keep an eye on mid-June—that's when the real story begins.