South Carolina’s 2026 recruiting class landed at No. 2 in the nation following the addition of two spring signees, according to updated rankings released by ESPN on May 1 and 247Sports on May 2. Rivals/On3 does not publish class rankings.
The two outlets disagreed on who held the top spot. ESPN placed Southern California first on the strength of a class headlined by Saniyah Hall and Sara Okeke, while Texas claimed the No. 1 position in the 247Sports rankings, which reward programs that sign larger classes. Southern Cal ranked just 15th in the 247Sports version.
One notable wrinkle in the ESPN methodology: the outlet counted USC’s Sitaya Fagan, who enrolled midseason, toward the Trojans’ 2026 class total, but did not apply the same standard to South Carolina — meaning Dawn Staley’s midseason addition, Alicia Tournebize, was excluded from the Gamecocks’ ESPN class total, even though ESPN separately called Tournebize the “gem” of the recruiting cycle.
Despite that omission, South Carolina and Southern California stood apart from every other program in the ESPN rankings as the only two schools with multiple top-ten recruits in the class. They also share the distinction of signing a top-six recruit in each of the past three recruiting cycles.
ESPN offered this framing of South Carolina’s incoming group: “To a group that already featured a formidable frontcourt, and the most physical guard of the class, Dawn Staley recently made two strong additions.”
The network’s individual assessments of each Gamecock signee:
Oliviyah Edwards, a 6-foot-3 forward, was described as someone who “creates constant matchup problems,” stretching defenses as a face-up shooter while also attacking off the dribble and finishing at the rim with either hand.
Jerzy Robinson, a 6-2 guard, was characterized as “a confrontational competitor on the perimeter who lives at the free throw line, can initiate offense, and has a proven jump shot.”
Kaeli Wynn, a 6-2 wing described as “a confident and vocal presence on the floor with an exceptionally high basketball IQ,” was noted as the daughter of longtime coaches, with skills on offense and physicality as a defender.
Kelsi Andrews, a 6-3 forward, was praised as “a formidable post presence” who rebounds on the offensive glass, finishes with either hand, and can step out and shoot.
Justine Loubens, a 6-1 wing, was described as a player who “understands spacing and can play all over the floor,” capable of hitting the corner three or attacking in a straight line, and skilled at moving without the ball to find easy scoring opportunities.
The full ESPN top ten: Southern California, South Carolina, Texas, Duke, Notre Dame, Kentucky, Maryland, Indiana, UConn, and North Carolina. The 247Sports top ten: Texas, South Carolina, Duke, Notre Dame, Florida State, Kentucky, Maryland, Oregon, Clemson, and Indiana.
The No. 2 finish extends South Carolina’s run of elite recruiting to six consecutive top-six classes, per ESPN. Under Staley, the program has claimed the top-ranked class twice and the second-ranked class three times.
South Carolina’s ascent into recruiting’s upper tier traces to 2014, when A’ja Wilson headlined a second-ranked class. After more modest finishes of 11th in 2016 and 10th in 2017, the program became a consistent powerhouse with the 2019 “Freshies” class — ranked first nationally and regarded as one of the finest ever assembled. The 2020 class went unranked as few recruits were willing to sit behind that group, though future star Kamilla Cardoso eventually transferred in after her freshman year elsewhere.
South Carolina rebounded in 2021 with another top-ranked class, one built around four of the nation’s top 14 players, including two national high school players of the year — widely considered among the best classes in the history of the sport. The Gamecocks followed with the sixth-ranked class in 2022, second in 2023 (with Chloe Kitts not counted due to early enrollment), third in 2024, and fourth in 2025 before landing at second once again with the current cycle.
