While the No. 2 Gamecocks sit at 19-1 this season, the program already has much to look forward to in its three commits for the 2026-27 season. South Carolina's overall recruiting class ranks as the sixth best in the nation, according to 247 Sports.
The group is headlined by the school's most recent commitment from five-star guard Jerzy Robinson. The 6-foot wing out of Chatsworth, California, is ranked as the state's top prospect, the nation's best shooting guard, and the nation's No. 3 prospect overall, according to 247 Sports. Her prospect rating of 99 is tied for the highest among all prospects in the class.
Robinson committed live on ESPN on Dec. 23. She was SportsCenter Next 100's highest rated player yet to make a college decision.
The 17-year-old has already notched three FIBA gold medals, along with Most Valuable Player honors while on the USA 16-and-Under National Team in 2024.
Robinson's father played football at Oregon State, and she credits him with instilling the thought process of a linebacker into her game.
"To go hard in every situation, he brought that football mentality into our training," Robinson said. "It's been my mentality growing up and playing the game that I love."
Having deliberately sought tougher competition early on, Robinson played on all-boys teams from fifth to eighth grade.
"You're always doubted. 'You don't belong, playing with a bunch of guys.' So it teaches you to prove the haters wrong, to really get after what you love," Robinson said.
That experience shaped how Robinson views this next stage of her career in Columbia.
"I feel like it's home. It's peace," Robinson said. "I'm really excited for my next couple years and my next chapter."
Robinson became the Gamecocks' highest ranked recruit for head coach Dawn Staley since sophomore forward Joyce Edwards, who was No. 3 in her class, according to ESPN's SportsCenter Next 100 of 2024.
She'll become the second California native to sign with the program directly out of high school, with the first being fellow 2026 commit Kaeli Wynn, the class's No. 17 recruit in the SportsCenter Next 100 class of 2026.
Robinson and Wynn took their official visits to Columbia together in late October, attending the Gamecocks' exhibition game against Anderson on Oct. 24. The team's 112-31 victory worked as successful persuasion for the two Californians, as Wynn committed to South Carolina just three weeks later, on Nov. 10.
A Santa Ana native, Wynn is a 6-foot-2 forward at Mater Dei High School. Posting averages of 17 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists throughout her junior season, she helped Mater Dei rank as the No. 1 team in the nation throughout its season.
Coached by her mom at Mater Dei, Wynn suffered a dislocated knee midway through her junior season. Having an offer to stay close to home and play for Stanford, Wynn opted to join the Gamecocks instead.
"Kaeli’s IQ and appreciation for the game’s intricacies add another level to her physical skill set," Staley said. "She is a perfect fit for our program."
Rounding out the trio of commitments is four-star center Kelsi Andrews. The 6-foot-4 player is a native of Hazel Green, Alabama, but has played her last two seasons of high school ball at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
Andrews led IMG Academy to a national title in 2025, defeating her future Gamecock teammate Agot Makeer's Montverde Academy in the championship game. Andrews posted 12 points and 13 rebounds in the victory.
She chose South Carolina over offers from other SEC schools such as LSU, Auburn and Mississippi State.
“(Her) defensive presence and resilience make her a special addition to our Gamecock family," Staley said. "She has the potential to continue our legacy of elite frontcourt players.”
Similar to Robinson, Andrews has notched two FIBA gold medals across tournaments in 2023 and 2024. She was the first signee of the team's 2026 class.
The three future Gamecocks collectively average a prospect rating of 99.24 according to 247 Sports, the second highest average from any 2026 class with multiple commits, trailing only Notre Dame.
The team added French freshman forward Alicia Tournebize to the roster following the fall semester, making her technically a member of the team's 2026 recruiting class. Her 6-foot-7 frame makes her the team's tallest player, and she's seen action in both of her first two games with the team, against Texas and Coppin State.
South Carolina will likely lose four seniors following this season: forward Maryam Dauda, guards Raven Johnson and Ta'Niya Latson, and center Madina Okot. The four have been heavy contributors through the 20 games, with Okot leading the team in rebounds along with Johnson and Latson being the team's leaders in assists per game.
Bringing in three of the top 20 prospects from ESPN's SportsCenter Next 100 class of 2026 should make the roster's shakeup a little easier to handle for Staley and company come next fall.