5-Star PF Oliviyah Edwards Announces WCBB Commitment After Decommitting from Tennessee

Oliviyah Edwards is staying in the SEC after all.

The 5-star power forward confirmed to ESPN's Shane Laflin that she committed to South Carolina.

Edwards is the No. 5 overall player in 247Sports' rankings for 2026. She originally pledged her future to Tennessee but backtracked earlier this month and reopened her recruitment.

Her defection was another blow to Lady Vols coach Kim Caldwell, who witnessed a mass exodus from Knoxville following a 16-14 season. Caldwell has since stabilized the squad for next season.

South Carolina was a finalist for Edwards before she made her original commitment.

The allure of the Gamecocks is obvious after a sixth straight trip to the Final Four and second successive runner-up finish. They also had two players selected in the first round of the 2026 WNBA draft.

With the addition of Edwards, South Carolina is sixth in 247Sports' 2026 team rankings. She's the second 5-star recruit of the group along with shooting guard Jerzy Robinson.

Brandon Clay, 247Sports' director of scouting for women's basketball, raved about Edwards' skill set.

"Edwards is a fantastic frontcourt option when sprinting the lane in the open floor," he said. "In that regard, she is the most intriguing prospect in the class right now. She possesses a physical toolbox that no one else has. Edwards is also showing signs of making the 15-18 foot jumper when her feet are set. Her calling card is her willingness to rebound the basketball and be impactful in the paint."

While Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley was a decorated guard as a player, she has proven adept at developing frontcourt talent.

A'ja Wilson and Aliyah Boston had legendary careers before going on to be No. 1 picks in the WNBA draft. Kamilla Cardoso was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2024 NCAA tournament en route to being a lottery pick. Laeticia Amihere was a first-round selection a year earlier.

There arguably isn't a better setting for Edwards to both compete for national championships and improve as a player.