Dawn Staley faced early recruiting challenges for South Carolina's 2026 class but turned it around with key commitments. The Gamecocks gained momentum after securing five-star forward Kaeli Wynn in November.
Key points
Dawn Staley faced early recruiting setbacks for the 2026 class.
Top recruits like Saniyah Hall and Olivia Vukosa chose other schools.
Kelsi Andrews was the first commit for the 2026 class.
Kaeli Wynn's commitment in November boosted recruiting momentum.
The No. 1 overall recruit Saniyah Hall took an official visit but went with Southern Cal. No. 2 Olivia Vukosa picked UConn but had South Carolina in her final five. The No. 7 McKenna Woliczko was heavily recruited by Staley but went with Iowa. No. 3 Oliviyah Edwards was scheduled for a visit in September but committed to Tennessee six days before.
In early October, Staley slowly started building her 2026 class starting with four-star forward Kelsi Andrews. But at SEC Media Days, Staley made a playful comment about only having one commit so far when asked a general question about recruiting.
South Carolina gained some momentum when five-star forward Kaeli Wynn committed in November.
Right before Christmas, Staley secured five-star Jerzy Robinson.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with Joyce Edwards #8 in the game against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Q&A
What challenges did Dawn Staley face in recruiting for South Carolina's 2026 class?
Dawn Staley faced challenges as top recruits like Saniyah Hall and Olivia Vukosa chose other programs over South Carolina.
Who are the top recruits that committed to South Carolina's 2026 class?
The 2026 class includes four-star forward Kelsi Andrews and five-star forward Kaeli Wynn, who committed in November.
How did South Carolina women's basketball's recruiting momentum change?
The recruiting momentum shifted positively for South Carolina after the commitment of five-star forward Kaeli Wynn.
What did Dawn Staley say about her recruiting situation at SEC Media Days?
At SEC Media Days, Dawn Staley humorously noted having only one commit at that point in the recruiting process.
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TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 04: Chloe Kitts #21 of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates after beating the Texas Longhorns 74-57 in the Final Four game of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Amalie Arena on April 04, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Tessa Johnson (5) celebrates after defeating the UConn Huskies during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - DECEMBER 08: Ashlyn Watkins #2 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drives against Aaliyah Roberson #23 of the TCU Horned Frogs during the second half in the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge Hoopfest WomenââŹâ˘s Basketball Classic at Dickies Arena on December 08, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
South Carolina Gamecocks guard Agot Makeer (44) celebrates their 62-48 win over the Connecticut Huskies in their NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 3, 2026.
Mar 30, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Maddy McDaniel (1) pushes the ball up the court during the first quarter of the game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs in an Elite Eight game in the Sacramento Regional 4 of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Alicia Tournebize #31 of the South Carolina Gamecocks brings the ball up the court against the TCU Horned Frogs during the first quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thien-An Truong/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 25: Adhel Tac #15 of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts in the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores during their game at Colonial Life Arena on January 25, 2026 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
Mar 21, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Ayla McDowell (24) drives against the Southern Jaguars in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
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Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with Joyce Edwards #8 in the game against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
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Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with Joyce Edwards #8 in the game against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
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Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 04: Chloe Kitts #21 of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates after beating the Texas Longhorns 74-57 in the Final Four game of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Amalie Arena on April 04, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
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Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Tessa Johnson (5) celebrates after defeating the UConn Huskies during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - DECEMBER 08: Ashlyn Watkins #2 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drives against Aaliyah Roberson #23 of the TCU Horned Frogs during the second half in the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge Hoopfest WomenââŹâ˘s Basketball Classic at Dickies Arena on December 08, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
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Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
South Carolina Gamecocks guard Agot Makeer (44) celebrates their 62-48 win over the Connecticut Huskies in their NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 3, 2026.
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Maddy McDaniel, South Carolina women's basketball guard for Gamecocks, Dawn Staley
Mar 30, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Maddy McDaniel (1) pushes the ball up the court during the first quarter of the game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs in an Elite Eight game in the Sacramento Regional 4 of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
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Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Alicia Tournebize #31 of the South Carolina Gamecocks brings the ball up the court against the TCU Horned Frogs during the first quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thien-An Truong/Getty Images)
8 / 9
Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 25: Adhel Tac #15 of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts in the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores during their game at Colonial Life Arena on January 25, 2026 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
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Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additions
Mar 21, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Ayla McDowell (24) drives against the Southern Jaguars in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images
Months later, when the roster looked set aside from transfer portal moves, Edwards decommitted from the Lady Vols April 7. She then visited South Carolina April 14 and nine days later, committed to the Gamecocks.
Since Edwards was the 14th player on a team that usually carries between 12-13, it came as a bit of a surprise when the program announced the addition of Justine Loubens on April 29. She's a 6-foot-1 shooting guard from France who will have four years of eligibility. ESPN has her as a four-star.
Andrews was the No. 18 overall player by ESPN but she dropped to No. 30 in the updated rankings from April 10. Wynn went from No. 17 to No. 19 and Robinson went from No. 5 to No. 6. Edwards was No. 2 when she signed with Tennessee but is now No. 3.
ESPN's final rankings have South Carolina at No. 2 overall for this year's class, a jump from March 17 when the Gamecocks were fourth.
Southern Cal still has the top overall recruiting class for 2026, followed by South Carolina, Texas, Duke and Notre Dame.
Dawn Staley's recruiting history at South Carolina
The last time Staley had the No. 2 overall recruiting class was in 2023 and the first was 2014. This marks her third year with the second-best recruiting class and fifth time overall with a top-two class.
Her most recent No. 1 overall recruiting class was 2021, when she had four five-star recruits. The top prospect was No. 2 Raven Johnson, followed by No. 3 Saniya Rivers, No. 4 Sania Feagin and No. 14 Bree Hall.
Rivers transferred to NC State after her freshman year. The trio of Johnson, Feagin and Hall won two national championships, four SEC-regular season titles, went to four Final Fours and won three SEC Tournament titles before getting drafted into the WNBA.
This year marks the first time since 2021 that Staley had three or more five-stars in a signing class. In 2023, two of her four were five-stars and in 2024 and 2025 she signed only two players in each class.
Her 2019 class, better known as "The Freshies," was her first No. 1 overall class. That included four five-stars as well, starting with the No. 3 prospect Aliyah Boston, No. 4 Zia Cooke, No. 10 Laeticia Amihere and No. 11 Brea Beal.
When they were juniors, they carried the program to a national championship in 2022. The group lost three games in four seasons and won three SEC-regular season titles and three SEC Tournament titles to go with three Final Fours. All four were drafted into the WNBA, including Boston, who went No. 1 overall.
Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and BlueskyâŞ@bylulukesin.bsky.socialâŹ
