South Carolina’s Ashlyn Watkins was arrested after an alleged attack on campus

South Carolina women’s basketball standout Ashlyn Watkins has been arrested and charged with first-degree assault and assault and kidnapping following an incident on the university’s campus, according to court records. The incident took place at a student housing center on Saturday.

A warrant issued by University of South Carolina police, as reported by Columbia’s WACH , details that Watkins allegedly assaulted a person by “grabbing the person by the face, pulling the person’s arms and pushing them.” The warrant also states that Watkins allegedly took the individual, holding her against her will.

“The defendant also grabbed the victim’s head and forced her to walk down the hall thereby controlling her movement and preventing her from leaving. The victim was eventually able to escape and pulled the fire alarm, prompting the Police and Fire Department to respond. The victim was treated by EMS for non-life threatening injuries. The defendant was given Miranda and confessed. The incident was caught on video surveillance,” the WACH warrant states.

After her arrest, Richland County records indicate Watkins was released on a $30,000 personal recognizance bond. She is due in court on October 25.

In response to the situation, a spokesperson for the South Carolina program provided a statement to ESPN, saying, “We are aware of the situation and continue to gather information.”

According to WLTX, Watkins’ attorney, Todd Rutherford, said Saturday night that he and his client are asking for the public’s patience during this time.

“We think that once everyone has a full understanding of what happened, it will end up being a misunderstanding,” Rutherford said. “What we know for sure is that Ashlyn didn’t assault anyone and she didn’t kidnap anyone.”

Ashlyn Watkins, the talented junior forward for the Lady Gamecocks basketball team, shined during South Carolina’s undefeated season en route to the 2023-24 National Championship. She was a key player, averaging 9.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Her career highlights include winning the 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year Award and being named to the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll in 2023.