“Big Oh” Is In Louisville: Breaking Down Oliviyah Edwards’ Final Visit and What It Means for Her Recruitment
The Nation’s Top Power Forward Prospect Has Completed Visits to Both South Carolina and Louisville — A Decision Is Imminent
The recruiting world is holding its breath. Oliviyah “Big Oh” Edwards — one of the most extraordinary and electrifying prospects in women’s college basketball history — has officially completed her visit to Louisville, and the anticipation surrounding where she will ultimately land is reaching a fever pitch. With visits to both South Carolina and Louisville now in the books, the decision that will reshape the landscape of women’s college basketball for years to come is close.
How We Got Here: A Recruitment Derailed by Chaos
Before diving into the current state of her recruitment, it is important to understand the extraordinary journey that brought Edwards back to the open market.
Edwards made her first public statement via social media, writing: “I have decided to decommit from the University of Tennessee and reopen my recruitment. I have officially been released from the university. Knoxville was incredible from the moment I first stepped on campus. I’m so thankful for the love and support from Lady Vols fans — you all made this journey special in a way I will never forget.”
The circumstances that forced that statement were devastating by any measure. Every Tennessee player with remaining eligibility entered the transfer portal — including all members of the highly touted second-ranked freshman class. Seniors Janiah Barker and Zee Spearman were graduating, leaving the Lady Vols with just one player set to arrive for next season.
Edwards’ mother, Jordan West, put it plainly to ESPN: “As a family, we are so thankful to the University of Tennessee for the time that was spent recruiting Oliviyah. At this time, with all the current changes to the women’s basketball team, I believe it’s in my daughter’s best interest to part ways and reopen her recruitment.”
No one can blame them. The program she committed to no longer exists in any meaningful form.
Who Is “Big Oh”? A Prospect Unlike Any Other
For anyone just tuning in, Oliviyah Edwards is not simply a good recruit — she is a generational talent.
According to the Rivals Industry Ranking, Edwards is the No. 4 overall player in the class of 2026, the No. 1 power forward in the entire cycle, and the No. 1 player in her home state of Washington. Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN all rank her as a five-star recruit and a top-5 prospect in the class.
Edwards is a phenomenal athlete with impressive length, allowing her to play bigger than her listed height. She first captured the nation’s attention with her ability to dunk in game situations — a feat she accomplished as early as seventh grade. At the McDonald’s All-American Game, she dropped 8 points and 9 rebounds across 15 minutes of action.
What makes Edwards truly special, however, goes beyond raw athleticism. Her mother described her approach to the game: “Oliviyah is not chasing a program to just be about her or she’s not chasing her own points and things like that. She’s chasing a team win. She would love if all 10 girls can get in the game and play and score.” That kind of character is rare at any level of basketball.
The South Carolina Visit: Dawn Staley Made a Real Impression
Edwards visited South Carolina on April 14, 2026, and by all accounts, the trip left a meaningful impression. This was not a cold visit — the relationship between Edwards and Dawn Staley stretches back years.
Edwards has previously spoken glowingly about what Staley and the Gamecocks represent to her as a developing player. In comments shared with Rivals earlier in her recruitment, Edwards praised the environment and Staley’s coaching style, saying: “South Carolina is really cool. I feel like they’re really down to earth.” What stood out most was Staley’s ability to demand more from her athletes: “Dawn Staley, I know that for sure that I’ll get in the gym and she’ll push me to my truest potential. As a characteristic, I need to be pushed because basketball is the only thing that I do, and I didn’t grow up loving the game.”
That quote is critically revealing. Edwards is not a player who grew up obsessed with basketball. She came to it late and has developed at a remarkable pace — and she knows that continued growth requires someone in her corner who will demand more from her every single day. In Dawn Staley, she has identified exactly that kind of coach.
During her South Carolina visit, Edwards was spotted at a baseball game with Staley personally — the same high-touch recruiting approach used to close Jordan Lee. Sportsearchers That kind of personal investment from a coach of Staley’s stature is not a small thing. It signals that the Gamecocks are not treating this like just another recruiting visit — they are all in.
The fit on the court is equally compelling. USC has two graduating post players who will not be on the 2026-2027 roster, and two more will graduate the following year. Edwards would not be filling a small need — she would be walking into a program that genuinely requires her presence to remain at its championship ceiling.
The Louisville Visit: “Big Oh” Is Officially in the Building
Confirming what recruiting insiders had been tracking, Edwards had a visit to Louisville scheduled for the Friday following her Columbia trip. Social media erupted when it was confirmed that “Big Oh” had indeed made the trip to Louisville — and the excitement among Cardinals fans was as intense as anything seen in their program’s recent recruiting history.
Louisville is not a program to dismiss lightly. Under head coach Jeff Walz, the Cardinals have long been a consistent ACC contender with a track record of developing post players and competing at the highest levels of women’s college basketball. For Edwards, Louisville represents a different kind of pitch — a program on the rise where she could immediately be the cornerstone piece around which an entire roster is constructed.
Louisville is a rising program that shouldn’t be underestimated. Sportsearchers The Cardinals can offer Edwards a starring role, a passionate fan base, and the kind of featured platform that a player of her caliber would command from day one. That is a powerful argument for any recruit, particularly one who just went through the turbulence of a high-profile decommitment.
Washington: The Home Pull Remains Real
Even with visits to South Carolina and Louisville complete, the option of returning home to Washington state cannot be entirely dismissed. Edwards’ mother acknowledged the emotional complexity of the decision, saying: “She kind of knew from the beginning that she was interested in another part of the country. It seems like it’s going to be harder for me than it is for her.”
Washington represents a home-state pull that is psychologically powerful for any recruit — returning home after a public commitment fallout can feel like the safest, most comfortable choice. Sportsearchers Edwards has also been open in the past about her desire to experience new parts of the country, but after the emotional toll of the Tennessee situation, the comfort and stability of home should not be underestimated.
Probability Breakdown: Who Lands “Big Oh”?
Based on everything that has emerged from her visits, public comments, and the recruiting landscape, here is how the race shapes up:
South Carolina — 45%
The Gamecocks hold the strongest overall hand. The relationship between Edwards and Staley is genuine and predates this cycle. South Carolina has a real positional need for her, a championship infrastructure no other program can match, and the kind of personal coaching attention Edwards has specifically said she requires. Being spotted personally with Staley at a baseball game is not a coincidence — it is a closing move. The program’s track record of developing forwards into WNBA talent is an argument Louisville and Washington simply cannot counter.
Louisville — 30%
The visit is real, the interest is genuine, and Louisville offers something South Carolina cannot — a chance to be the player from day one without the pressure of immediately competing for a national title. Edwards has now been through one high-profile commitment that unraveled, which may make her more cautious and deliberate, and less likely to simply follow the biggest brand name. Sportsearchers That caution could work in Louisville’s favor. A player who just had her recruitment upended may genuinely value a place where the spotlight shines directly on her rather than being shared with an established roster of stars.
Washington — 25%
Home will always have a pull. After everything Edwards has been through in the last few weeks, the emotional weight of being close to family, playing in front of her community, and rebuilding in a familiar environment cannot be discounted. Washington is also a program trending upward. But for a player who has consistently talked about wanting to explore new parts of the world and compete on the biggest stages, the Pacific Northwest may ultimately feel too comfortable — and for Edwards, comfort has never been the goal.
The Bottom Line
Oliviyah “Big Oh” Edwards has now seen two of her final three options up close and personal. The visits to Columbia and Louisville are complete. A decision is coming — and when it does, it will send a ripple through women’s college basketball that will be felt for years.
The bottom line is a competitive three-way race, with South Carolina holding a slight edge. Landing Edwards would cement South Carolina as the runaway favorite heading into 2026-27. The odds, on balance, favor Staley — but in recruiting, nothing is official until the ink dries. Sportsearchers
Whatever she decides, Oliviyah Edwards will walk into her chosen program as one of the most anticipated freshmen in women’s college basketball history. The only question left is — which jersey will she be wearing?
