COLUMBIA - After three seasons at South Carolina State, assistant women's basketball coach Ronald Hughley is headed back to the Capital City.

On Tuesday, the Columbia native was officially introduced as the newest member of University of South Carolina women's basketball coach Susan Walvius' staff.

"I got to know Ron on the recruiting trail and what stood out to me was his tremendous work ethic," Walvius said in a USC press release. "He was always the last coach to leave the gym. A lot of times, tournaments can turn into social events where coaches spend the whole time small-talking with each other, but Ron isn't like that. He is very diligent in what he does and will be an asset to our program."

In replacing Ken Griffin, the 36-year-old Hughey is expected to serve primarily in the role of recruiter and coach of the post players for the Lady Gamecocks. USC was recently recognized by the Collegiate Girls Basketball Report as having the nation's 18th-ranked incoming class.

Prior to his time at SCSU, Hughey served as the assistant coach for the boys varsity basketball team at W.J. Keenan from 2001-04. He also spent one season as an assistant at high school alma mater C.A. Johnson, whom he helped win a state championship in 1989.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for me as a coach," he said. "For Coach Walvius to bring me into a program like this is a great honor. This is an opportunity to be at home. I grew up here always going to games hoping to get a chance and an opportunity like this."

SCSU women's basketball coach Tonya Mackey confirmed Wednesday that Walvius had contacted her about Hughey as far as back in late April.

Although the Lady Bulldogs failed to post a winning record during his three seasons, Hughey helped recruit such players as guard Brittany Baity and developed forwards Melanie Denson and Evena Morency into All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference selections.

The Lady Bulldogs signed three players for the upcoming season:

- Guard Patience Figgins (5-9) out of Columbus High School in Columbus, Ga.-- Averaged 18 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals and a second-team All-State selection.

-- Forward/center Samantha Daniels (6-4) out of Parkway Academy in Miramar, Fla. -- Averaged 11 points, 10 rebounds, seven blocks per game as a senior and posted 11 double-doubles.

  -- Swingman Sasha Sales (6-0) out of Cincinnati State Technical Community College in Cincinnati, Ohio -- Averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds, four steals and three assists per game. She had 16 double-doubles, was the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference Player of the Year and selected SCSU over UNLV.

Mackey called Hughey 'a great asset' to the SCSU program and hopes to hire someone who can enjoy a similar positive rapport with the players. Once the position is advertised, she plans to interview between 3-4 people and is open to the idea of hiring someone other than a male to replace Hughey.

Hughey's departure leaves Mackey with only assistant coaches Tasha Stinson and Aisha Stewart on her staff. She is currently preparing for the third straight year to hold two separate Lady Bulldog basketball camps in the month of June.

A team camp is scheduled for June 6-8 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. which will consist of scrimmages involving middle and high school teams from around the state at various gymnasiums on-campus and in the Orangeburg area.

There are three packages available for interested participants:

PACKAGE A ($210) -- Housing at the new campus apartments, three daily meals, games and T-Shirt

PACKAGE B ($100 per team plus $35 per camper) -- Lunch, games and T-Shirt

PACKAGE C ($100 per team plus $10 per camper) -- Games and T-Shirt

A non-refundable $100 deposit is require for all packages and hotel accommodations are available at the Quality Inn for a special Lady Bulldog Camp rate.

The following week, Mackey will hold an individual camp June 13-16 for ages eight through all rising seniors. Camp participants will receive instruction in advanced basketball player development, hear daily lectures on fundamentals, offensive and defensive concepts as well as a lecture on NCAA requirements, have an opportunity to tour the campus and hear a guest speaker.

The fee is $200 for boarding campers and $150 for non-boarding campers. An application is available by visiting www.scsu.edu/athletics/womensteams/basketball or calling (803) 536-8716 or (803) 533-3921.

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