This season’s 5A Division 1 Byrnes team began its 2025-26 campaign with a 15-game winning streak, and expectations began rising for the Rebels that they could make a very deep tournament run. One has to win the first contest of a tournament to embark on said deep run and the 20 points Evans scored allowed Byrnes to earn a 64-54 victory over the Bulldogs of Boiling Springs. Evans is the lone freshman on this season’s Rebels team. Byrnes will have a tough draw in the second round of the 5A Division 1 playoffs as it will be on the road at Dutch Fork this Friday. 

Not only has Evans taken the next step, her team has as well. Her 5A Division 1 Byrnes assembling is putting the finishing touches on a 2025-26 season that saw the Rebels compile 20 wins for the first time since 2019-20. A two-sport athlete who also competes in soccer, Evans has played in all 25 games for the Rebels as of this writing. She has averaged 14.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, three assists and 1.5 steals per matchup. Following this year’s tournament, Evans will bring her talents to the Nike EYBL circuit which is where her travel team – AEBL Girlz – will play on this spring and summer. Byrnes last won state in 1965 and Evans has the Rebels in position to be the final 5A Division 1 team standing this season. 

With offers from Miami, Auburn, Wake Forest, Cincinnati, George Mason and Furman Ashlyn Evans Ashlyn Evans 5'10" | PG/SG Byrnes | 2029 State SC continues to show why she is top ranked combo guard in SC. She has great length at this position which is an added bonus on both sides of the ball. She shows excellent potential as she easily finishes around the rim with finesse. She has many one-on-one moves in her repertoire that allows her to easily get past defenders.

Evans was securing Division I looks even before she became a freshman and Division I coaches are continuing to be impressed by what they are seeing from this rising star. Her latest offer was another Division I get courtesy of Miami. One can see why Hurricanes coach Tricia Cullop would want Evans in the signature green and orange hues of The U. As an eighth grader, Evans averaged 14 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.4 steals in the 26 games she played for 5A Division 1 Byrnes. The Rebels finished with a record of 19-9 last season. Evans adds the Miami offer to her resume that includes Cincinnati, George Mason, Auburn, Furman and Wake Forest all having the Rebels’ rising star on their radars. 

Ashlyn Evans Ashlyn Evans 5'10" | PG/SG Byrnes | 2029 State SC had a nice spin move in the paint dribbling and creating some space to score her points.  She already has some great height to battle against anyone on the court elevating up and over her opponents to score.  She was showing off her reverse layup easily scoring when defenders thought they were getting there in time.

The performance Evans turned in at the beginning of the month at the CGHR Da Future Showcase continued to solidify why she is one of the leaders of the state’s robust youth movement. Evans has had no shortage of Division I offers lately and her latest get occurred courtesy of Wake Forest and coach Megan Gebbia. Furman, Cincinnati, Auburn and George Mason have also offered her. Evans was also one of four from the Carolinas to receive an invite to the Blue Star 30 camp in St. Louis. Last season with 5A Division 1 Byrnes, her 14 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.4 steals she averaged lifted the Rebels to a 19-9 record and she is coming off an AAU season where she played well up in class with AEBL Girlz P24 16U. 

One element of Evans’ offseason has been the number of Division I offers she has received – prior to her embarking on her freshman campaign. She displayed in Mooresville exactly why she has landed those offers. An all-around playmaker, she is constantly working on aspects of her game – including her ball handling and shooting. Evans can throw defenses off balance with her ability to either attack the basket or knock down a 3-point shot. The two-sport athlete who also excels in soccer averaged 14 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.4 steals last season for 5A Division 1 Byrnes and one can expect the Rebels will be in the win column on plenty of occasions this upcoming season with Evans sporting Byrnes colors. 

Evans and Marshall have something in common – both 2029s that deservedly are playing up in class. With the number of Division I offers Evans has already received heading into her freshman season at 5A Division 1 Byrnes, one had to believe she was on the list of prospects to watch for many a collegiate coach or scout at Roses. When watching her play, one would not think she is merely a 2029. While Evans can establish herself with the ball on the perimeter, she understands when to shoot and when to attack the rim – as well as having a knack for when to score and when to pass. The two-sport athlete (soccer) averaged 14 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.4 steals as an eighth grader for the Rebels. 

We know the story at this point with Evans – a talented freshman who already has plenty of Division I offers to ponder. Her ability to attack the basket can leave defenses guessing for many reasons. One of those reasons is how that can open things up for a teammate to make a play. Evans also displays impressive ball handling capabilities and understands when to pass and when to score. She is also unafraid of falling to the floor to complete a play, displaying a level of toughness not always seen in prospects as young as she is. A talent who also plays soccer, she averaged 14 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.4 steals a contest last season for one of the premier squads in the Palmetto State in 5A Division 1 Byrnes. 

One is doing something correct when offers continue to pour in prior to starting a freshman season. That remains to be the case for Evans whose Rebels recently took part in Wofford’s team camp. A hop, skip and a jump from Wofford is Furman and Evans’ resume now includes an in-state offer from coach Pierre Curtis and the Paladins. This is in addition to Division I offers she already had from Auburn, Cincinnati and George Mason. After putting together a 2024-25 where she averaged 14 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.4 steals per contest, something tells us her name will appear in plenty of recruiting updates in the future.