After Visiting Columbia, the Nation’s Top Power Forward Prospect Has South Carolina Firmly in the Picture
Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks are in the midst of one of the most compelling recruiting pursuits in women’s college basketball right now, and at the center of it all is a name that has been on Gamecock fans’ radar for quite some time — Oliviyah Edwards.
Who Is Oliviyah Edwards?
Before diving into where things stand, it is worth understanding exactly what the Gamecocks are chasing. Edwards is a phenomenal athlete with impressive length, allowing her to play bigger than her 6-foot-3 height. ESPN ranked her as one of the players in 2026 with the most upside, saying her potential is “essentially limitless.” She is an incredibly athletic forward from Washington state who first dunked in a game as a seventh-grader at age 13. With her size and athleticism, Edwards excels around the rim, but she also is a heady player who has a good three-point shot.
According to the Rivals Industry Ranking, Edwards is the No. 4 overall player in the class of 2026 and the No. 1 power forward in the entire cycle. Simply put, she is a generational prospect, and every elite program in the country has been paying attention.
The Tennessee Chapter: A Commitment That Unraveled
Edwards’ road to this moment has been anything but straightforward. Edwards, a 6-4 forward from Seattle, Washington, had been one of the most sought-after players in the country before committing to Tennessee. Her top four ultimately became Florida, LSU, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
She chose the Lady Vols — but that commitment would not hold. Edwards asked for her release on April 4 and Tennessee granted it. In her own words upon announcing the decision, Edwards wrote: “This decision was incredibly hard, but after deep conversations with my family I know what’s best for my future.”
Her departure followed the exit of all eight returning Tennessee players who had announced their decision to enter the transfer portal — a mass exodus that effectively dismantled the Lady Vols program and made Edwards’ decision to reopen her recruitment entirely understandable.
South Carolina Was Always in the Picture
What makes this recruitment so significant for Gamecock fans is that the relationship between Edwards and South Carolina is not new. South Carolina offered Edwards in July 2023, meaning Dawn Staley identified her talent early and has been building this connection for nearly three years. After Edwards committed to Tennessee on her official visit — which is very uncommon for elite recruits — previously planned trips to Columbia and Baton Rouge were canceled. South Carolina never truly got its full shot during that cycle.
Now it does.
The Visit to Columbia
According to sources familiar with the visits, Edwards — listed as the No. 3 recruit in the Class of 2026 — visited the University of South Carolina and met with coach Dawn Staley’s program in Columbia on April 14, 2026. Notably, she was not alone in making the trip — Texas transfer Jordan Lee was also on campus during the same window, signaling that Staley was aggressively stacking high-profile visits back to back as the portal window winds down.
Edwards was spotted at a South Carolina baseball game with Staley personally — the same high-touch recruiting approach that was used with Jordan Lee Sportsearchers — a detail that speaks volumes about the level of personal investment Staley is putting into this recruitment.
It is also worth noting that Edwards previously took both an official visit and an unofficial visit to South Carolina before her Tennessee commitment, meaning the familiarity with the campus and the program is already established. This is not a cold visit — it is a reconnection with genuine history behind it.
Where Things Stand: South Carolina, Louisville, or Home to Washington?
Following her South Carolina visit, Edwards had a visit to Louisville set for the Friday after her Columbia trip, making clear that she is conducting a thorough process before making her next decision.
The current picture has Edwards choosing between South Carolina, Louisville, and Washington. Sportsearchers Each option carries its own emotional and practical weight:
South Carolina brings the most compelling basketball argument. The Gamecocks are perennial national title contenders, and Dawn Staley has an unmatched track record of developing forwards into elite players and WNBA draft picks. Edwards has a similar player profile to current Gamecock Ashlyn Watkins, and she could be the player to eventually replace Watkins when she graduates. The program also has real needs at the post position going forward — USC has two graduating post players who will not be on the 2026-2027 roster, and two more will graduate the following year — meaning Edwards would be walking into a program that genuinely needs her, not just adding her as depth.
Washington represents the pull of home. Edwards ranks as the No. 1 player in her home state of Washington, and after the public and emotionally difficult unraveling of her Tennessee commitment, the comfort and stability of staying close to home should not be underestimated.
Louisville is a rising program that offers her a prominent role and a chance to be the cornerstone of a rebuild — an appealing prospect for any elite recruit who wants to leave her own legacy.
Why South Carolina Should Feel Encouraged
The factors working in South Carolina’s favor are significant: Edwards was originally in South Carolina’s top group before committing to Tennessee, meaning the relationship predates this recruitment cycle entirely, and Staley has had time to rebuild that bond since Tennessee’s collapse. Sportsearchers
The fit on paper is nearly perfect. South Carolina needs exactly what Edwards provides, Staley has proven she can develop players of her profile into WNBA talent, and the championship infrastructure in Columbia is something neither Louisville nor Washington can currently match.
Whether that is enough to bring one of the nation’s premier prospects to Columbia remains to be seen. But one thing is certain — Dawn Staley is not leaving anything on the table in this pursuit, and the Gamecocks are squarely in the driver’s seat of one of the most important recruitments in women’s college basketball right now.
