Top 2026 Post Olivia Vukosa Names South Carolina Among Final Five Schools
The nation’s No. 1-ranked post in the class of 2026, Olivia Vukosa, has narrowed her recruitment to five programs — and South Carolina made the cut.
On Thursday, Vukosa revealed her finalists on social media in partnership with Slam. Joining the Gamecocks are UConn, Ohio State, Texas, and LSU. She announced the news in a creative way, highlighting a “starting five” of legendary or current players from each school: Sue Bird (UConn), Jaloni Cambridge (Ohio State), Aneesah Morrow (LSU), Kyla Oldacre (Texas), and South Carolina’s own A’ja Wilson.
“It definitely came down to who I talk to the most and which coaches and staff I felt most comfortable around,” Vukosa explained. “But also, which girls were trying to interact with me when I was on the phone with the coaches, and who was trying to pop in and say hello to me. Definitely the family aspect of it all, and which schools brought that to me the most.”
At 6-foot-5, Vukosa is widely considered the premier post prospect in her class. ESPN ranks her as the No. 1 post and No. 3 overall, while Rivals lists her as the No. 2 power forward and No. 5 overall. She is expected to play primarily in the post at the collegiate level.
Her recruitment has been carefully paced. Last year, she unveiled a top 12 before trimming the list to seven in March. Now, she’s down to five, with Kentucky and North Carolina dropped from contention as she lines up her official visits.
Vukosa visited Ohio State last weekend, even taking in the Buckeyes’ football matchup against Texas. She is set to visit Texas this coming weekend, while LSU will host her the weekend of September 27 following an in-home visit earlier this week. Visits to UConn and South Carolina are expected in October, though it remains unclear if her previously scheduled October trip to North Carolina will happen.
Back in March, Vukosa told On3’s Talia Goodman what stood out most about South Carolina during her early impressions.
“Coach [Dawn] Staley is a great person. I don’t get to talk to them all the time, but when I do it’s like the conversation gets picked up right where it left off. She has brought great energy, and so does her whole staff.”
With her list now narrowed, Vukosa’s decision will likely come after she completes her fall visits — and South Carolina remains firmly in the mix.
