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
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.”
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)
ocregister.com
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