USC women land UC Davis’ Ryann Bennett, add another 5-star freshman
Bennett, who was UC Davis’ leading scorer last season, and Spanish forward/center Sara Okeke were announced as the newest Trojans this week
USC has added UC Davis guard Ryann Bennett via the transfer portal. A product of Long Beach St. Anthony, Bennett averaged a team-high 15.3 ppg for the Aggies last season and 1.6 steals per game. (Big West Conference)
Haley Sawyer (OC Register) — The USC women’s basketball team has officially landed its first transfer of the spring this week in 5-foot-8 guard Ryann Bennett, who was the leading scorer at UC Davis last season.
Bennett posted photos of herself in a USC uniform on Wednesday evening with the caption “#fighton.” Trojans guard Kennedy Smith was one of the first to reply, commenting, “ME AND BESTIE REUINITED.”
Bennett, who is from Long Beach and prepped at St. Anthony, averaged a team-high 15.3 points per game for the Aggies this season and set a new career-high in points on three separate occasions. She also led the team in steals with 1.6 per game.
“I have known Ryann for years and she’s always been a competitor, a winner and someone who elevates teams,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said in a press release on Friday. “She has proven at the collegiate level to also be someone who can score, create for others and bring a high IQ to the court.”
The rising junior joins a 2026-27 USC roster that is loaded with talent. A healthy JuJu Watkins is expected to return, alongside reigning Freshman of the Year Jazzy Davidson and Smith, a 6-foot-1 guard who averaged 11.5 points and 4.3 rebounds this season.
USC announced on Wednesday morning that it had signed Spanish forward/center Sara Okeke, making her the third five-star prospect of the freshman class, along with Sitaya Fagan and Saniyah Hall. The trio makes up the nation’s No. 1 2026 recruiting class in ESPN’s rankings.
“Sara is an elite talent who brings size, athleticism, skill and endless upside to our frontcourt,” head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said in a press release. “She is relentless on both sides of the ball, as well as on the glass. Her fit with our program is ideal. Beyond the court, Sara is an exceptional young woman with a story that I know will inspire many as she becomes a fixture in Los Angeles and amongst the USC community.”
The primary thing the Trojans desperately needed to address was their lack of size on the roster and they recently did so with the signing of Florida State junior center Pania Davis out of the transfer portal.
Davis is coming off averaging 7.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and a block per game this season. More importantly she fills the Trojans’ most glaring offseason hole, which was the lack of an interior presence. USC’s star power is a bit top heavy in favor of the guard position. But the addition of Davis helps flesh out a front court that could be substantially more dangerous.
The women’s basketball transfer portal opened on April 6. The final day of the 15-day entry window is April 20.
Current Trojan WBB roster
Guards (6):
Ryann Bennett | 5-8 | Jr.
Jazzy Davidson | 6-1 | Soph.
Rian Forestier | 5-11 | Jr.
Brooklyn Shamblin | 5-9 | Jr.
Kennedy Smith | 6-1 | Jr.
JuJu Watkins | 6-2 | R-Jr.*
Forwards (5): Sitaya Fagan | 6-4 | Fr.
Saniyah Hall | 6-2 | Fr.
Sara Okeke | 6-4 | Fr.
Laura Williams | 6-2 | R-Soph.
Pania Davis | 6-6 | Sr. (below)
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Good timing Zach Branch 😂 😂 Former Georgia Bulldogs/USC WR and 2026 NFL Draft prospect Zachariah Branch was arrested by Athens-Clarke County police early Sunday morning, April 19, 2026, on misdemeanor charges. Per arrest report details: Charges: Branch, 22, was booked on two misdemeanor charges of obstruction of a law enforcement officer and obstructing public sidewalks/streets – prowling. Context: The incident occurred around 1:00 AM in Athens, GA, where Branch was visiting for the team’s spring scrimmage (G-Day). Police Report: A report obtained by NFL Network indicates the arrest followed an officer’s repeated orders for Branch to move out of the way. Release: He was released… Read more »
The rising junior joins a 2026-27 USC roster that is loaded with talent. A healthy JuJu Watkins is expected to return, alongside reigning Freshman of the Year Jazzy Davidson and Smith, a 6-foot-1 guard who averaged 11.5 points and 4.3 rebounds this season.
Good timing Zach Branch 😂 😂 Former Georgia Bulldogs/USC WR and 2026 NFL Draft prospect Zachariah Branch was arrested by Athens-Clarke County police early Sunday morning, April 19, 2026, on misdemeanor charges. Per arrest report details: Charges: Branch, 22, was booked on two misdemeanor charges of obstruction of a law enforcement officer and obstructing public sidewalks/streets – prowling. Context: The incident occurred around 1:00 AM in Athens, GA, where Branch was visiting for the team’s spring scrimmage (G-Day). Police Report: A report obtained by NFL Network indicates the arrest followed an officer’s repeated orders for Branch to move out of the way. Release: He was released… Read more »
You break the law, then the government has to enforce the law….HELLLOOOO!! It shouldn’t matter that you are a football star.
Pania got hops?
Needs to develop a better shot and put on weight per reports. Sounds like she’s got a ways to go, being realistic.