COLUMBIA — Dawn Staley's roster for South Carolina women's basketball in 2026-27 impressed not only her boss, but people without ties to the Gamecocks as well.
“It’s hard to imagine the portal season going for any coach better than it did for Coach Staley," South Carolina athletic director Jeremiah Donati said April 27. "I had colleagues from all over the country reaching out to me saying, ‘Wow, that’s a super team.'"
Staley brought in four Class of 2026 recruits all ranked in the top 30. She also added the No. 2 player in the portal in Jordan Lee, a 6-foot guard from Texas, and was the only SEC women's coach who didn't lose anyone to the portal.
The most recent addition to the 2026-27 team was five-star, 6-foot-3 forward Oliviyah Edwards, the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2026 class.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with Joyce Edwards #8 in the game against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 04: Chloe Kitts #21 of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates after beating the Texas Longhorns 74-57 in the Final Four game of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Amalie Arena on April 04, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Tessa Johnson (5) celebrates after defeating the UConn Huskies during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesFORT WORTH, TEXAS - DECEMBER 08: Ashlyn Watkins #2 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drives against Aaliyah Roberson #23 of the TCU Horned Frogs during the second half in the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Classic at Dickies Arena on December 08, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)South Carolina Gamecocks guard Agot Makeer (44) celebrates their 62-48 win over the Connecticut Huskies in their NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 3, 2026.Mar 30, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Maddy McDaniel (1) pushes the ball up the court during the first quarter of the game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs in an Elite Eight game in the Sacramento Regional 4 of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn ImagesSACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Alicia Tournebize #31 of the South Carolina Gamecocks brings the ball up the court against the TCU Horned Frogs during the first quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thien-An Truong/Getty Images)COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 25: Adhel Tac #15 of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts in the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores during their game at Colonial Life Arena on January 25, 2026 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)Mar 21, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Ayla McDowell (24) drives against the Southern Jaguars in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images1 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsSACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with Joyce Edwards #8 in the game against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)1 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsSACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with Joyce Edwards #8 in the game against the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)2 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsTAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 04: Chloe Kitts #21 of the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrates after beating the Texas Longhorns 74-57 in the Final Four game of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Amalie Arena on April 04, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)3 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsApr 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Tessa Johnson (5) celebrates after defeating the UConn Huskies during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images4 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsFORT WORTH, TEXAS - DECEMBER 08: Ashlyn Watkins #2 of the South Carolina Gamecocks drives against Aaliyah Roberson #23 of the TCU Horned Frogs during the second half in the USLBM Coast to Coast Challenge Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Classic at Dickies Arena on December 08, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)5 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsSouth Carolina Gamecocks guard Agot Makeer (44) celebrates their 62-48 win over the Connecticut Huskies in their NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 3, 2026.6 / 9Maddy McDaniel, South Carolina women's basketball guard for Gamecocks, Dawn StaleyMar 30, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Maddy McDaniel (1) pushes the ball up the court during the first quarter of the game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs in an Elite Eight game in the Sacramento Regional 4 of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images7 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsSACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Alicia Tournebize #31 of the South Carolina Gamecocks brings the ball up the court against the TCU Horned Frogs during the first quarter in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thien-An Truong/Getty Images)8 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsCOLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 25: Adhel Tac #15 of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts in the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores during their game at Colonial Life Arena on January 25, 2026 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)9 / 9Dawn Staley's South Carolina women's basketball 2026-27 roster with portal additionsMar 21, 2026; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks guard Ayla McDowell (24) drives against the Southern Jaguars in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images“Not having any kids transfer out of the program in this day and age is almost unheard of. So just really, really proud of her and the team’s efforts to keep it rolling," Donati said.
South Carolina has been to six straight Final Fours, three straight national championship games and has 10 straight SEC regular-season titles. So when it comes to preseason predictions, the Gamecocks have been near the top for a while.
But do these moves make them the favorites to win the 2027 national championship?
The Athletic believes that the Gamecocks are the new top team, two weeks after Texas had that spot.
On April 27, South Carolina went from No. 4 to No. 1, as UConn and Southern Cal stayed at No. 2 and No. 3.
Lee wasn't the only departure for the Longhorns. Point guard Rori Harmon and key reserve center Kyla Oldacre were out of eligibility. Justice Carlton, who started with Lee, and Aaliyah Crump, who averaged 7.9 points off the bench, also transferred.
That dropped Texas to No. 13 in The Athletic's Top 25.
On April 28, The Athletic ranked which players found the best fit in a new team via the portal and Lee was No. 1.
Multiple outlets published "way too early" rankings the morning after title game, and ESPN, The Athletic and USA TODAY all had UConn above South Carolina despite the Gamecocks beating the Huskies and No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick Azzi Fudd in the Final Four.
USA TODAY had Southern Cal at its No. 1, reporting that getting star JuJu Watkins back from injury while returning National Freshman of the Year Jazzy Davidson and adding No. 1 overall recruit Saniyah Hall is enough to write off the 18-14 season in 2025-26.
ESPN had the Trojans at No. 6, with Texas above South Carolina but behind UConn at No. 2. Before updating, The Athletic's order went Texas, UConn, Southern Cal, South Carolina.
The articles were based mainly on high school recruits and returners. At the time they were published, Staley was losing three starters in Raven Johnson, Ta'Niya Latson and Madina Okot to the WNBA plus reserve forward Maryam Dauda.
ESPN hadn't updated its 2026 recruit rankings at the time, so South Carolina's incoming freshmen were the No. 6 overall recruit Jerzy Robinson, No. 18 Kaeli Wynn and No. 30 Kelsi Andrews.
Staley was returning seven players from the title game roster, including Joyce Edwards who averaged 19.2 points, Tessa Johnson, who led the SEC in 3-point shooting (fourth in the nation), Agot Makeer, who scored between 10-18 points in every March Madness game, and 6-foot-7 Alicia Tournebize.
The Gamecocks also knew they were also getting back 2025 SEC Tournament MVP Chloe Kitts and star forward Ashlyn Watkins, who both missed last season with ACL tears.
The main argument for UConn ahead of most teams despite losing Fudd was returning National Player of the Year Sarah Strong in addition to bringing in freshman Olivia Vukosa, the No. 2 ranked player.