Building the Future
South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley is turning her attention to the 2027 recruiting cycle, hoping to build on the momentum of a standout 2026 class that landed the program the second‑best recruiting ranking nationally.
Staley and her staff have been actively courting a handful of five‑star prospects, attending high school games, staging campus visits and extending scholarship offers as they try to keep the Gamecocks at the top of the national conversation.
The competition is fierce, with several of the nation’s highest‑rated 2027 players already pledging to other powerhouses, but the coach remains undeterred, emphasizing relationship building over early commitments.
Among the names on the radar are Ivanna Wilson Manyacka, a five‑star forward from Potomac, Maryland, ranked No. 2 in the class, and Kaleena Smith, the top‑ranked recruit who has already taken official visits to Columbia. Jezelle “GG” Banks, a point guard from Wilmington, Delaware, also figures prominently in the coach’s plans.
Other highly touted prospects include Jordyn Palmer, a 6‑1 wing from Oxford, Pennsylvania, and Micah Ojo, a 6‑1 wing from Virginia, both of whom have drawn interest from South Carolina as they weigh their options.
The coaching staff’s outreach extends beyond the East Coast, with visits to recruits in Michigan, New Jersey and even Canada, underscoring a national strategy that mirrors the program’s recent success on the court.
While the final roster for the upcoming 2026‑27 season is still being shaped, Staley’s early focus on the 2027 class signals a long‑term vision that could keep the Gamecocks among the elite in women’s college basketball for years to come.