Dawn Staley just added another big name to South Carolina’s women’s basketball roster.
Oliviyah “Big Oh” Edwards – tabbed as the sixth-best 2026 recruit in the nation by ESPN – announced on Thursday, April 23, that she signed with the Gamecocks. Edwards, a 6-foot-3 forward from Washington, originally signed a national letter of intent with Tennessee, but requested a release from her commitment on April 4.
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Before Edwards initially signed with Tennessee in November, South Carolina was a finalist for her talents. She had also been considering USC, LSU, Florida and Washington.
This time around, after being released from Tennessee, Edwards visited Texas, Louisville and South Carolina before making the decision to join the Gamecocks. She also considered re-signing with Tennessee.
A McDonald’s All-American, Edwards gained attention at the high school level for viral videos of her dunking. She’s already signed a shoe deal with Adidas. At Lincoln High School in Washington this past season, she averaged an eye-popping 30 points, 25 rebounds and four assists per game.
Edwards bolsters the depth of an already deep and talented frontcourt for the Gamecocks. In addition to the return of All-American Joyce Edwards, South Carolina is also getting back former SEC Tournament MVP Chloe Kitts and athletic forward Ashlyn Watkins, both of whom were sidelined with injuries this past season. And 6-foot-7 French center Alicia Tournebize also remains with South Carolina and will go through the program’s offseason strength and conditioning for the first time this summer.
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Despite losing Raven Johnson, Madina Okot and Ta’Niya Latson to the WNBA draft, Staley has a roster that seems capable of returning to the Final Four. Should South Carolina be playing in Columbus, Ohio next April, it’ll mark the Gamecocks’ seventh consecutive trip to the national semifinals.
With Edwards’ signing, South Carolina is now bringing in two of the top six recruits in the 2026 class, according to ESPN’s rankings. The Gamecocks had previously signed Jerzy Robinson, a 6-foot guard from California.
South Carolina also brings back starting guard Tessa Johnson, postseason standout Agot Makeer, and off-the-bench guard Maddy McDaniel. The Gamecocks also added Texas starter Jordan Lee through the transfer portal.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oliviyah Edwards signs with South Carolina women’s basketball
