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The race for the 2025-26 women’s college basketball national championship is just beginning.
Yet, the competition for another crown—the best 2026 recruiting class—is entering the final sprint.
Four of the top-five recruits in the class of 2026 have made their decisions, and the fifth undecided prospect recently made a splash. Jerzy Robinson, a 6-foot-0 guard from California who is ranked No. 5 in the class, narrowed her list to LSU, UConn and South Carolina before making her official visit to Dawn Staley’s program over the weekend. Serenaded to chants of “We want Jerzy!” by the FAMs in Colonial Life Arena during the Gamecocks’ Friday night exhibition win, she then hobnobbed with Staley, A’ja Wilson and current Gamecocks on the football sidelines before South Carolina-Alabama. Kaeli Wynn, the No. 17-ranked recruit who is a 6-foot-2 forward also from California, visited the Gamecocks as well.
The first-class treatment captures the high-stakes nature of recruitment during this era of women’s college hoops hype, even as the transfer portal looms, empowering both prospects and current players to disrupt a program’s best laid plans when they, rightfully, may choose to make a different decision.
Nevertheless, it remains fun to envision how the next crop of top-tier talents could reshape the women’s college basketball landscape. Robinson’s commitment, certainly, will shift things in the favor of the Gamecocks, Huskies or Tigers. For now, here’s a look at the five programs that should be most excited about what’s on the 2026 horizon.
Oliviyah Edwards oozes upside. If it all comes together for the 6-foot-3 forward from Washington, watch out!
It’s not surprising that Edwards has been stamped Candace Parker. The Lady Vol legend, who was “the cherry on top” for Edwards choosing Tennessee over USC, South Carolina, LSU, Florida and Washington, is the foremost believer in the power of the post. And Edwards, certainly, possesses that potential power more than any player to wear the Big Orange since CP3 was reeling off back-to-back national titles on Rocky Top.
But in contrast to the smooth and silky point forward stylings of Parker, Edwards packs as more forceful punch as a possible do-it-all post, with an athletic frame, plus controlled handles, that allow her to drive past perimeter defenders with relative ease and comfortably finish through contact. Yet, she’s smooth too, showcasing both touch around the rim and a nice looking jumper. Her physical tools and basketball feel should also translate on the defensive end, where she could become one of the nation’s more versatile defenders.
And yes, she can also throw it down, too.
With the arrival of Edwards, ranked in the top five of her class by all major recruiting rankings, including earning the No. 2 spot in ESPN’s SportsCenter NEXT 100, Knoxville could become the center of the women’s college basketball universe once again.
Is the most intense rivalry in women’s college basketball history about to become Oliviyah vs. Olivia?
Tennessee fans have Oliviyah “Big Oh” Edwards, while the UConn faithful can counter with Olivia “Big O” Vukosa, who seemed destined to become a Husky.
A 6-foot-4 post from New York, Vukosa is in her final year of high school ball at Christ the King, the Queens school that claims Husky legends Sue Bird and Tina Charles as alums. Vukosa also is of Croatian descent, connecting her to another former Husky in Nika Mühl. Did LSU, Ohio State, Texas and South Carolina, the other schools Vukosa considered, even have a chance?
And on top of all that, her game has been compared to that of yet another Husky in Stefanie Dolson—except super-charged. She is a big who not only can stretch the floor as a 3-point shooter, but also is comfortable as an offensive facilitator, handling the ball before finding a teammate or taking it the hoop herself, and versatile as a defender. Vukosa also takes care of the non-negotiable, traditional big skills, having improved as a rebounder while possessing the bulk necessary to protect the paint.
Combined with the beyond-her-years talent of Sarah Strong, Vukosa’s commitment could have blessed the Huskies with the best frontcourt in the nation. If the 2025 national title kickstarted the next UConn dynasty, it will be extended because the Strong-Vukosa tandem becomes unstoppable.
According to the SportsCenter Next 100, neither Edwards nor Vukosa is the best player in the class of 2026. That honor belongs to Saniyah Hall, a 6-foot-0 guard from Ohio whose commitment continues the train of top-ranked talent that has been rolling into Southern California.
In 2023, No. 1-ranked JuJu Watkins took her talents to the Women of Troy. The next year, No. 6-ranked Kennedy Smith signed with USC. And soon, the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2025, Jazzy Davidson, will make her official Trojan debut. That trio will still be in Cardinal and Gold when Hall arrives on campus in the fall of 2026, forming an absolutely stacked foursome that likely will be expected to instantly contend for a national title.
Because all four can operate with their ball in their hands, there are some concerns about USC devolving into a “your turn, my turn” offense that does not effectively optimize everyone’s talents. Presuming Watkins fully recovers from her ACL tear and resumes her ascent into all-time superstardom, she will be USC’s primary option, meaning Hall, who is accustomed to fulfilling the star role as a high schooler both at Montverde and SPIRE Institute, likely will have to adapt her game, learning to play without the ball on offense while prioritizing defense.
Yet, Hall, like Watkins, Smith and Davidson, has the talent to make it all work, as she showed in winning MVP of the FIBA U19 World Cup over the summer, leading a Team USA squad that featured her future teammate in Davidson and a future collegiate rival in UCLA freshman Sienna Betts. Hall ultimately opted for USC over UCLA and North Carolina.
Rather than top-three star power, Duke is bringing at depth of talent to Durham in 2026, with four recruits ranked in the top 45 committing to the Sisterhood.
At the head of the group, however, is a player capable of making a superstar bid in Autumn Fleary, the top true point guard in the class of 2026 who is ranked No. 12 overall. Standing 5-foot-7 and from Washington, DC, Fleary plays with pop as a pick-and-roll operator, bringing a combination of stability and sizzle when she assumes the controls of the Blue Devil offense. She chose Duke over LSU, North Carolina and UCLA.
She’ll be flanked by a pair of physically-talented 6-foot-0 wings who are capable shooters, ball handlers and defenders in Bella Flemmings, a Texas product ranked No. 16 in the class, and Sanai Green, the No. 25-ranked recruit from New York. The group is rounded out by Taylor Sofilkanich, the No. 43-ranked recruit who is a 6-foot-4 post from New Jersey. Sofilkanich is the sister of Ashley Sofilkanich, who, after two productive seasons at Bucknell, has transferred to Michigan.
That collective will combine with Duke’s preexisting talent, which includes current sophomore Toby Fournier and freshman Emilee Skinner, the No. 4 recruit in the class of 2025. The Blue Devils appeared poised not only to own the ACC, but also to make serious noise nationally.
Like their fellow Big Blue blue blood, depth defines Kentucky’s class of 2026, with three top-25 recruits headed to Lexington.
Maddyn Greenway, a 5-foot-8 point guard from Minnesota who is the No. 13 overall recruit, leads the bunch, electing to attend Kentucky over Iowa, Duke, Clemson, UCLA and Stanford. Also a soccer and track star, Greenway will get the “next Georgia Amoore” designation, expected to become the engine of head coach Kenny Brooks’ offense as a playmaker and three-level scorer. Her offensive responsibilities also have never lessened her hustle on the defensive end.
The No. 19 recruit in the class, Savvy Swords, will bring a similarly competitive mindset. Like her sister, Michigan sophomore Syla, Swords possesses Canadian National Team experience, in addition to playing her high school ball at Long Island Lutheran. Listed at 6-foot-1, Savvy does have one inch on her older sister, which should allow her to play both guard and forward positions for the Wildcats. She considered following her sister to Michigan, in addition looking at South Carolina, UCLA and Notre Dame.
Emily McDonald, Swords’ teammate at Long Island Lutheran, completes Kentucky’s intriguing group. A 6-foot-0 guard, McDonald’s signature skill is her 3-point shooting, but she’s more than a specialist, as she also can handle the ball, make plays for teammates and finish at the rim.
With the arrival of these three, plus now-freshman Kaelyn Carroll, the No. 18-ranked recruit in the class of 2025, the Wildcats seem slated to become a real threat in the SEC.
