Dawn Staley added another big piece (literally) to her 2026 recruiting class with the recent addition of Oliviyah Edwards.
Edwards announced her commitment to South Carolina on April 23 and officially signed with the Gamecocks on April 27.
The 6-foot-3 forward is a five-star recruit and ranked No. 3 nationally in the Class of 2026 by ESPN. She’s one of three five-stars in South Carolina’s 2026 recruiting class; the others are guard Jerzy Robinson (ranked No. 6) and forward Kaeli Wynn (ranked No. 19). The Gamecocks have also signed four-star forward Kelsi Andrews (ranked No. 30) and international prospect Justine Loubens (France) to their 2026 class.
South Carolina will return nine players to next year’s roster in addition to Texas transfer Jordan Lee and the five incoming freshmen. The roster is chock-full of talent that has been recognized nationally and by the SEC. It’s also, quite literally, a massive roster. Only one player on the team — rising junior guard Maddy McDaniel — will be listed at below 6-feet tall.
The Gamecocks shot up to No. 1 in ESPN’s and The Athletic’s respective updated way-too-early Top 25 team rankings after the additions of Edwards and Lee.
“Our team is stacked,” Chloe Kitts said at USC’s Gamecock Gala last week. “We’re gonna be really big, so it’s gonna be exciting. Coach can throw a whole bunch of different people out there, different lineups. So I’m super excited.”
Edwards, a McDonald’s All-American, will come to South Carolina after an intriguing recruitment process. The Gamecocks were initially a finalist for her talents before she committed to Tennessee. Edwards signed with the Lady Vols in November but was granted a release from the school in April . She was the tip of the iceberg in a mass roster exodus for Tennessee this offseason.
Edwards took a visit to South Carolina last month and committed to the Gamecocks a week later.
“Sometimes it takes twice to get it right,” Edwards posted on social media.
Adding Edwards to the roster bolsters an already deep position group. The Gamecocks will have eight forwards on their roster next year in Kitts, Ashlyn Watkins, Joyce Edwards, Alicia Tournebize, Adhel Tac, Wynn, Andrews and Edwards.
There’s only so many minutes to go around in the post for those players. Regardless, Edwards has made it clear she’s ready and willing to learn from the veterans in the room once she gets to South Carolina.
“We had some conversations when she was here,” Kitts said of Edwards. “She really wants to learn from me and Ashlyn. So we’re going to be very helpful for her.”
The Gamecocks gained a talented player in Edwards. In a press release last week, Staley credited her with having a “deep toolbox and elite intangibles.” Brandon Clay, the 247Sports director of women’s basketball, described Edwards as the “most intriguing” prospect in the Class of 2026.
Edwards is a capable scorer, passer and defender, Staley said in the release. Edwards can also dunk .
“She’s a freak athlete and she’s a great player, so it’s gonna be exciting,” Kitts said.
