COLUMBIA — South Carolina women’s basketball and head coach Dawn Staley came up short in the recruitment of McKenna Woliczko, a five-star forward and the No. 6 overall prospect in the class of 2026, who announced on Oct. 1 that she has committed to Iowa.
The 6-foot-2 standout from San Bruno, California, stars at Archbishop Mitty High School. She narrowed her final list to Iowa, South Carolina, Southern Cal, and Ohio State.
Speaking with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Woliczko admitted that her decision was not easy. She said the choice came down to the Hawkeyes and Gamecocks, and she was “genuinely torn” between the two programs.
This marks the second recruiting loss in recent weeks for South Carolina, as Oliviyah Edwards, ranked No. 2 nationally in the 2026 class, committed to Tennessee on Sept. 13 after canceling her official visit to Columbia. Staley and her staff have yet to secure a commitment from the 2026 cycle.
Ranked as the No. 2 player in California and the nation’s No. 2 power forward by the 247Sports Composite, Woliczko made a major impact as a sophomore last season. According to MaxPreps, she averaged 22.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game before suffering a torn right ACL on Jan. 4, 2024. She underwent surgery shortly after the injury and is expected to be cleared for full contact by late October. Prior to the setback, she was averaging 22.2 points per game.
Her recruitment included an official visit to South Carolina from July 1–3, followed by a trip to Iowa on Aug. 29–31, which ultimately became her final visit before making her decision.
Woliczko also has experience at the highest levels of youth basketball. She played AAU with Jason Kidd Select and helped the United States capture a gold medal at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup.
Staley, now entering her 17th season in Columbia, has built South Carolina into one of the nation’s premier programs, winning three national championships and reaching five consecutive Final Fours. Looking ahead, the Gamecocks will lose key contributors after the 2025-26 season, including forwards Chloe Kitts and Maryam Dauda, center Madina Okot, and guards Ta’Niya Latson and Raven Johnson.
