Yes, South Carolina Has Already Offered Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka — And Dawn Staley Is Still Watching Her Every Move
On Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka:
The short answer is yes — and the pursuit has been going on longer than many realize. South Carolina offered the five-star Potomac, Maryland standout back in August 2024, when Wilson-Manyacka had just started her sophomore year of high school. Since that early offer, Dawn Staley hasn’t backed off. Just last week, Staley was at the Under Armour Next/Spooky Nook event in Pennsylvania to watch Wilson-Manyacka play multiple times, and the prospect was reported as one of the top performers of the weekend.
The recruiting interest makes complete sense when you look at the profile. According to the Rivals Industry Ranking, Wilson-Manyacka is the No. 2 overall player in the Class of 2027 and the No. 1 small forward nationally — a unanimous five-star across all three major recruiting outlets. She has played with various iterations of Team USA’s junior squads, took part in the Nike Hoops Summit, and was a Naismith High School All-American as a junior. Her offer list has already grown to over 30 power conference programs, so South Carolina is far from the only school in the picture.
On Whether She’s Still the Next to Commit, Given Oliviyah Edwards:
With Oliviyah Edwards now in the fold, the Wilson-Manyacka situation shifts — but she’s not out of the picture by any means. However, the immediate urgency from South Carolina’s side may have cooled slightly.
With Edwards joining Jordan Lee as spring additions, South Carolina is probably done adding players for the 2026 class. Assuming Ashlyn Watkins rejoins the team as expected, South Carolina will have 14 players on next season’s roster. The analysis from insiders suggests the Gamecocks are essentially full for now.
Wilson-Manyacka is a 2027 recruit, so her timeline doesn’t directly clash with this current roster crunch. By the time 2027-28 rolls around, South Carolina will be without three key players as Tessa Johnson, Ashlyn Watkins, and Chloe Kitts will be out of eligibility — which means there will be significant roster room opening up right when Wilson-Manyacka would arrive.
Bottom line: Oliviyah Edwards’ commitment doesn’t eliminate Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka from South Carolina’s radar — if anything, the 2027 roster need makes the Gamecocks’ pursuit of her even more logical. Staley showing up in person to watch her multiple times this week signals that Columbia remains very much in play for the No. 2 prospect in the country.
