Maddy McDaniel is indeed set to take over as South Carolina’s starting point guard following the departure of longtime floor general Raven Johnson, who exhausted her eligibility after the 2025–26 season.
Now a rising junior, McDaniel spent the last two seasons as a high-impact backup. During the 2025–26 campaign, she averaged 4.3 points and 2.7 assists per game. Her most notable strength heading into this new role is her elite ball security; she finished the season with an unofficial 5.18 assist-to-turnover ratio, which would have led the nation had she met the minimum minutes requirement.