South Carolina Reloads as Dawn Staley Lands Two Elite Recruits
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Dawn Staley is done entertaining the myth that she doesn’t recruit. As one only two programs that have signed a top-six recruit in each of last three classes, the South Carolina Gamecocks don’t just recruit, they close.
The Gamecocks delivered back-to-back recruiting wins this week, landing the No. 5 overall player in the 2026 class and an immediate-impact international post presence, reinforcing the program’s grip on the national recruiting landscape.
The headline move came when Jerzy Robinson, the highest-ranked uncommitted prospect in the 2026 class, announced her commitment to South Carolina. Robinson, a 6-foot guard from Sierra Canyon High School, is a five-star prospect ranked No. 5 in ESPN’s Top 100 and No. 5 in the SportsCenter NEXT 100.
Her decision came after heavy pursuit from nearly every major power in the sport, including LSU Tigers, UConn Huskies, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans, Iowa, and Notre Dame. Robinson even took an official visit to LSU in October. Instead, she chose Columbia and revealed her decision on ESPN’s NBA Today.
“I chose South Carolina because I had a sense of peace when it came down to the decision for me,” Robinson said. “I was guided by my faith throughout my recruitment. I just consulted the Lord. I sought him out, asked for direction and some guidance. And after talking to him and my family, we came to the decision that South Carolina was home for me.”
Robinson joins a loaded 2026 class that already includes Kaeli Wynn, the No. 17-ranked forward nationally, and Kelsi Andrews, the No. 18-ranked forward from Alabama. All three Gamecock signees rank inside ESPN’s Top 20, a feat matched only by South Carolina and USC across the last three recruiting cycles.
That alone undercuts the tired narrative surrounding Staley’s recruiting reach. Landing Robinson and Wynn also signals something new: South Carolina cracking the California pipeline, a region the program previously accessed only through transfers like Destiny Littleton and Te-Hina Paopao.
One day earlier, Staley added another major piece. South Carolina signed Alicia Tournebize, a 6-foot-7 French forward who will enroll early and join the team following the holiday break. Tournebize most recently played professionally for Tango Bourges Basket in France’s EuroLeague Women and will be immediately eligible this season.
“Alicia has an incredible skill set and basketball IQ,” Staley said. “She has great touch around the rim, can shoot it out to the 3-point line and is a shot blocker. We’re excited that she and her family chose to bring her game to Columbia.”
Tournebize starred internationally, averaging 12.1 points and 8.9 rebounds at the 2025 FIBA U18 EuroBasket, earning All-Star Five honors. Her pedigree runs deep, her mother, Isabelle Fijalkowski, is a FIBA Hall of Famer and former WNBA player.
Together, Robinson and Tournebize elevate South Carolina’s talent ceiling and roster depth and send a clear message nationally. Dawn Staley isn’t chasing recruits. She’s setting the standard.
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